DUKE 

UNIVERSITY 

LIBRARY 


GZfit  oi 


Professor  F.A.G.  Cowper 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/sexknowledgeform01  robi 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE 
FOR  MEN 

INCLUDING  A PROGRAM  FOR 
SEX  EDUCATION  OF  THE  BOY 

BY 

WILLIAM  J.  ROBINSON,  M.D. 

Chief  of  the  Department  of  Genlto-Urinary  Diseases  and  Dermatology,  Bronx  Hospital 
and  Dispensary;  Editor  of  The  American  Journal  of  Urology  and  Sexology;  Editor 
of  The  Critic  and  Guide;  Author  of  Treatment  of  Sexual  Impotence  and  Other 
Sexual  Disorders  in  Men  and  Women;  Treatment  of  Gonorrhea  in  Men  and 
Women;  Limitation  of  Offspring  by  the  Prevention  of  Conception;  Sex 
Knowledge  for  Girls  and  Women;  Sexual  Problems  of  Today;  Never 
Told  Tales;  Practical  Eugenics,  etc.  Fellow  of  the  New  York  Acad- 
emy of  Medicine,  of  the  American  Medical  Editors’  Association, 

American  Medical  Association,  New  York  State  Medical 
Society,  Internationale  Gesellschaft  fur  Sexualfor- 
schung,  American  Genetic  Association,  American 
Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science, 

American  Urological  Association, 
etc.,  etc. 


A man  may  know  more  than  is  contained 
in  this  book;  he  may  not  know  less. 


ILLUSTRATED 


THIRD  EDITION 


1917 

THE  CRITIC  AND  GUIDE  COMPANY 


12  MT.  MORRIS  PARK,  WEST 

NEW  YORK 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 


A Practical  Treatise  on  the  Causes, 
Symptoms  and  Treatment  of  Sexual 
Impotence  and  other  Sexual  Dis- 
orders in  Men  and  Women S3. 00 

Treatment  of  Gonorrhea  and  its 
Complications  in  Men  and  Women  . 3.00 

Sexual  Problems  of  To-day 2.00 

Sex  Knowledge  for  Men 2.00 

Sex  Knowledge  for  Women 1.00 

Woman:  Her  Sex  and  Love  Life 3.00 

Never  Told  Tales 1.00 

Stories  of  Love  and  Life 1.00 

Limitation  of  Offspring  by  the  Pre- 
vention of  Conception 1.00 

Sex  Morality — Past,  Present  and 

Future 1.00 

Eugenics  and  Marriage 1.00 

The  Critic  and  Guide 

Monthly:  $1.00  a year;  Single  Copies,  20c. 


The  American  Journal  of  Urology 
and  Sexology 

Monthly:  $4.00  a year;  Single  Copies,  50c. 


Copyright,  1916, 

By  The  Critic  and  Guide  Co. 


PREFACE 


FOR  many  centuries  deep  silence  reigned  over 
everything  that  concerns  sex.  The  normal 
manifestations  of  the  instinct  had  to  be  denied 
and  hidden,  abnormal  manifestations  had  to  be 
concealed,  and  diseases  of  the  sex  organs  had  to  be 
treated  as  if  they  had  no  existence.  Mere  refer- 
ence to  venereal  disease  in  public  print  or  a chaste 
discussion  of  a sexual  subject  was  not  only  a social 
transgression,  but  a criminal  offense,  and  many 
were  the  hardships  of  those  who  dared  to  be  pio- 
neers in  the  field  of  sex  knowledge. 

About  a decade  ago  a change  began  to  make  it- 
self felt.  It  began  to  be  seen  that  the  welfare  of 
the  race  demanded  that  certain  evils  resulting 
from  the  sex  relations  should  no  longer  be  barred 
from  public  discussion.  Societies  were  estab- 
lished in  many  cities  with  the  object  of  enlighten- 
ing the  public  cn  sex  matters  and  particularly  of 
warning  the  people  against  the  terrible  dangers 
and  ravages  of  venereal  disease.  A flood  of  books 
and  pamphlets  dealing  with  sexual  subjects,  and 
having  the  laudable  object  of  giving  sexual  infor- 

3 


V 


4 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


mation  to  the  young,  made  its  appearance.  I be- 
lieve I have  read  them  all  and  undoubtedly  to 
those  who  do  not  know  any  better,  many  of  these 
books  must  seem  perfectly  satisfactory,  and  must 
fill  a real  want.  Undoubtedly  they  are  better  than 
nothing.  But  unfortunately,  and  I say  this  with 
a feeling  of  deep  regret,  I did  not  find  a single  one 
to  which  I could  give  my  full  approval. 

The  books  may  be  divided  in  two  classes;  the 
commercial  ones,  produced  by  shrewd  authors  and 
publishers  (with  a good  scent  for  the  proper  psy- 
chological moment)  for  the  express  purpose  of 
making  money,  and  the  sincere  books  produced  by 
their  authors  and  authoresses  with  the  sincere 
purpose  of  imparting  information,  of  guarding 
the  young  and  the  old  against  dangers  and  pit- 
falls.  But  both  the  commercial  productions  and 
the  books  with  a high  purpose  show  the  same  de- 
fects. They  contain  a lot  of  mush,  a plethora  of 
ecstatic  stuff,  some  of  it  nauseating  in  the  ex- 
treme (young  people  often  refer  to  it  as  slush  or 
sob-stuff  or  use  a still  stronger  term),  they  are 
filled  with  lurid  exaggerations  or  downright  false- 
hoods. The  authors  show  a woful  lack  of  knowl- 
edge of  sexual  physiology,  pathology  and  psychol- 
ogy— as  if  all  the  advances  in  these  domains  dur- 
ing the  past  twenty-five  years  were  entirely  un- 


PREFACE 


5 


known  to  them — and  everywhere,  everywhere,  al- 
most on  every  page,  there  is  bias,  prejudice,  ko- 
towing to  Mrs.  Grundy,  misstatements  with  a no- 
ble purpose  and  misstatements  in  order  to  help  or 
at  least  not  to  hurt  the  sale  of  the  book. 

I am  not  alone  in  my  opinion  about  our  sex 
books.  Many  fathers  and  mothers,  and  some 
young  men  and  girls  have  written  to  me  express- 
ing their  dissatisfaction  or  even  disgust  with  the 
existing  popular  sex  books.  During  the  last  five 
or  six  years  I received  numerous  requests  to  write 
a “real  honest”  sex  book.  I refrained  from  do- 
ing so  because  I have  had  other  important  work 
on  hand.  The  requests  are,  however,  becoming 
more  numerous  and  more  persistent,  and  this, 
combined  with  the  fact  that  The  Critic  and  Guide 
is  constantly  in  receipt  of  inquiries  about  the  best 
sex  books,  inquiries  which  we  cannot  answer,  be- 
cause there  is  no  best  book  (some  are  less  bad 
than  others,  but  there  is  not  a good  one),  has 
finally  induced  me  to  undertake  the  writing  of  a 
really  honest  and  scientific  book  of  sex  knowledge. 

This  book  is  not  going  to  be  taken  as  a textbook 
in  Sunday  Schools,  it  will  probably  not  be  found 
in  the  libraries  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  ’s,  it  will  hardly 
be  mentioned  by  the  societies  of  moral  and  sani- 
tary prophylaxis  and  social  hygiene.  Why?  Be- 


6 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


canse  it  is  absolutely  truthful,  because  its  author 
has  not  respected  any  prejudice,  no  matter  how 
deeply  rooted,  because  he  has  refused  flatly  to 
make  any  compromises  with  error,  with  ignorance, 
with  sanctified  tradition. 

“No  compromise ! ’ ’ was  my  motto  from  the  first 
line  to  the  last.  I cannot  trim,  and  I cannot  blow 
hot  and  cold  at  the  same  time.  And  I told  myself 
that  unless  the  book  could  represent  my  honest 
and  truthful  opinions,  then  it  should  not  be  writ- 
ten. As  it  has  been  written,  you  may  take  it  for 
granted  that  it  does  so  represent  my  full,  unexpur- 
gated opinions.  I have  not  told  everything,  for 
this  is  but  an  elementary  book,  but  whatever  I did 
tell,  I told  honestly. 

May  it  serve  to  dissipate  the  error  and  bias 
found  in  many  books  offered  to  the  public  by 
usually  well-meaning  but  ignorant  enthusiasts. 


July  15,  1916. 


W.  J.  R. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  Introduction 9 

II.  The  Anatomy  and  Physiology  of  the 

Sex  Organs  ........  15 

III.  The  Male  Sex  Organs 19 

IV.  The  Physiology  of  the  Sex  Organs  31 

V.  Puberty  and  the  Awakening  of  the 

Sex  Instinct 41 

VT.  Self- Abuse  or  Masturbation  ...  45 

VII.  Prevention  of  the  Masturbation 

Habit 57 

VIII.  Pollutions  or  Wet  Dreams  ...  63 

IX.  Sexual  Impotence 65 

X.  Sexual  Neurasthenia 83 

XI.  Sterility 95 

XII.  The  Venereal  Diseases 99 

XIII.  Prophylaxis  or  Prevention  of  Vene- 

real Disease 103 

XIV.  Gonorrhea 117 

XV.  Syphilis 127 

XVI.  Hereditary  Syphilis 141 

XVII.  The  Treatment  of  Syphilis  . . . 147 

XVIII.  Chancroids 155 

XIX.  Venereal  Disease  and  Matrimony  . 159 

7 


8 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

XX.  Venereal  Disease  and  Quackery  . . 165 

XXI.  Minor  Affections  of  the  Genital 

Organs 171 

XXII.  Herpes  of  the  Genitals  ....  177 

XXIII.  Acute  Prostatitis 181 

XXIV.  Chronic  Prostatitis 185 

XXV.  Enlargement  of  the  Prostate  . . 189 

XXVI.  Varicocele 193 

XXVII.  Epididymitis 195 

XXVIII.  Stricture 201 

XXIX.  Gonorrheal  Rheumatism  ....  203 

XXX.  Gonorrhea  of  the  Eyes — Ophthalmia 

Neonatorum 205 

XXXI.  Sexual  Abstinence  and  the  Sexual 

Necessity 209 

XXXII.  Marriage 217 

XXXIII.  Prostitution 227 

XXXIV.  Program  for  a Child’s  Sex  Educa- 
tion   231 

XXXV.  Explanation  of  Terms 247 

Index 265 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Chapter  One 
INTRODUCTION 

THE  subject  which  I am  going  to  discuss  with 
you  in  this  book  is  of  the  utmost  importance 
to  you.  I am  not  indulging  in  any  exaggerations 
when  I say  that  it  is  of  vital  importance  to  you. 
I know  of  no  other  subject  in  the  entire  school  or 
college  program  on  which  you  could  spend  a few 
hours,  or  a few  days,  with  such  signal  benefit  to 
yourself  personally,  to  those  dear  to  you  and  to 
the  race  in  general. 

Ignorance  of  the  facts  herein  presented  has 
cost  many  a young  man  his  life,  has  ruined  many 
a promising  career,  has  caused  a great  amount  of 
disease  and  deformity  and  has  been  responsible 
for  misery  and  unhappiness  so  great,  that  it  would 
be  a hopeless  task  to  try  to  measure  them. 

We  are  going  to  discuss  your  sex  nature,  your 
sex  organs,  and  your  sex  desire  or  instinct.  I do 
not  know  whether  you  have  read  anything  on  sex 
subjects  or  not.  If  you  have  not — so  much  the  bet- 

P 


10 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


ter.  For  I very  much  fear  that  the  knowledge  you 
have  derived  from  your  reading  is  apt  to  he  not 
only  imperfect,  incomplete;  that  would  not  be  so 
had;  hut  it  is  apt  to  be  distorted,  perverted;  in 
short,  it  is  apt  to  be  worse  than  no  knowledge  at 
all. 

As  alluded  to  in  the  preface,  the  literature  on 
sex  subjects  that  a young  man  is  likely  to  read 
may  be  divided  into  two  classes.  One  is  the  kind 
gotten  out  by  the  advertising  charlatans,  proprie- 
tors of  “museums  for  men  only”  and  other  quack 
doctors.  This  “literature”  is  utterly  vile.  It  is 
full  of  lies,  exaggerations  and  ridiculous  absurdi- 
ties and  misstatements.  The  “authors”  being 
irresponsible  quacks  and  ignoramuses  of  no 
standing  whatever,  they  do  not  care  anything 
about  what  they  say,  or  how  ridiculous  their  state- 
ments may  be.  Their  only  object  is  to  make 
money,  and  they  work  upon  the  fears  of  their 
prospective  victims.  Having  sufficiently  fright- 
ened them,  they  can  fleece  them  to  their  last  dol- 
lar. It  would  not  be  worth  while  to  discuss  or 
even  to  mention  that  muck  “literature,”  but  for 
the  fact  that  being  spread  broadcast,  it  exerts  a 
ruinous  effect  on  thousands  and  thousands  of  boys 
and  young  men.  For  all  I know,  you  may  be  one 
of  the  victims  of  that  quack  literature. 


INTRODUCTION 


11 


The  literature  of  the  second  class  is  of  a higher 
character.  Its  object  is  not  to  make  money  by  at- 
tracting patients ; its  purpose  is  to  keep  the  young 
men  “good”  and  “pure.”  Some  people,  you 
know,  believe  that  the  end  justifies  the  means.  To 
ine  authors  of  this  class  of  literature  the  object 
of  keeping  our  boys  and  young  men  “good”  and 
“pure”  seems  so  important,  that  they  feel  justi- 
fied in  indulging  in  certain  exaggerations  and  even 
in  downright  misstatements.  Of  course  in  many 
cases  these  exaggerations  and  misstatements  are 
not  made  with  deliberation ; they  are  due  to  their 
authors’  ignorance. 

The  two  classes  of  literature,  while  different  in 
their  objects,  are,  if  not  identical,  at  least  similar 
in  their  methods:  both  attempt  to  inspire  fear. 
And  I do  not  consider  frightening  people  a good 
thing.  I do  not  consider  that  it  is  right  to  use 
fear  as  an  educational  weapon.  It  is  not  only 
bad  in  itself,  it  not  only  warps  the  mind  and 
character,  but  it  often  fails  to  attain  its  ob- 
ject; not  only  does  it  fail  to  attain  it, 
but  it  often  drives  the  man  to  excesses,  which 
he  would  have  escaped  if  no  attempt  had  been 
made  to  frighten  him.  No,  I believe  in  being 
strictly  honest  with  the  adult  and  young  man.  I 
will  not  preach — I dislike  preaching.  I will  not 


12 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


attempt  to  frighten  you  into  being  decent.  I will 
tell  you  the  truth  as  it  is,  and  will  leave  the  free 
choice  to  you.  But  I believe  that  if  you  have  any 
ideal  at  all,  I will  succeed  in  showing  you  that  it 
will  pay  you  better  to  be  moderate  and  decent  in 
all  things. 

For  many  years  I have  been  enjoying  the  confi- 
dence of  thousands  and  thousands  of  young  men. 
They  rely  upon  my  advice  implicitly  because 
they  know  that  I have  only  their  welfare,  physical 
and  mental,  at  heart;  that  I am  free  from  any 
prejudice  or  bias,  and  that  I tell  the  truth  as  I 
know  it,  even  if  by  telling  it  I go  contrary  to  cus- 
tom, to  tradition,  to  superstition,  to  prevailing 
opinion.  And  I trust  that  you  who  read  this  book 
will  also  quickly  become  convinced  that  every 
statement  in  this  book  is  the  truth,  as  I see  it.  I 
do  not  promise  you  to  tell  you  the  whole  truth: 
first,  the  limits  of  space  of  an  elementary  volume 
will  not  permit  it,  and  second,  you  are  probably 
not  yet  ready  to  understand  and  assimilate  every- 
thing that  relates  to  the  wonderful  complexities  of 
human  sexuality.  But  I do  promise  that  whatever 
I do  say  will  be  scientifically  true,  in  accordance 
with  the  opinions  of  the  world’s  best  sexologists. 
Sexual  education  must  go  by  steps.  After  you 


INTRODUCTION 


13 


have  assimilated  this  book,  yon  will  be  ready  for 
deeper  and  more  exhaustive  treatises. 

I have  laid  emphasis  on  the  strict  truthfulness 
of  this  book.  This  leads  one  to  the  inference  that 
in  my  opinion  the  other  hooks  written  for  hoys 
and  young  men  are  not  strictly  truthful.  The  in- 
ference is  correct.  I do  not  say  that  in  each  case 
the  untruth  is  a deliberate  one;  as  stated  previ- 
ously, it  is  often  due  to  ignorance.  But  the  fact  is 
there.  Not  that  we  do  not  have  some  splendid  au- 
thors who  write  on  sex  subjects  without  any  relig- 
ious or  traditional  bias,  with  an  eye  single  to  the 
truth ; we  do  have  such.  It  is  sufficient  to  mention 
Havelock  Ellis,  Bloch,  Marcuse,  Moll,  Eulenberg, 
Forel,  Hirschfeld.  But  the  works  of  these  authors 
are  meant  for  fully  developed  and  cultured  adults : 
they  are  deep  and  voluminous : they  are  not  meant 
for  the  average  young  man.  And  this  is  the  first 
attempt  to  write  a strictly  scientific  and  strictly 
truthful  book  suitable  for  the  growing  young  man, 
and  the  average  man  of  the  street. 


Chapter  Two 


THE  ANATOMY  AND  PHYSIOLOGY  OF 
THE  SEX  ORGANS 

THE  whole  living  world  is  divided  into  two 
sexes : male  and  female,  masculine  and  fem- 
inine. This  applies  not  only  to  the  animal  world, 
but  to  the  vegetable  world  as  well : we  have  male 
plants  and  we  have  female  plants.  We  cannot 
very  well  speak  of  any  attraction  between  male 
and  female  plants,  but  in  the  animal  world,  the  at- 
traction between  the  two  sexes  is  very  marked; 
and  it  gets  more  and  more  marked,  the  higher  we 
ascend  in  the  animal  scale,  until  we  reach 
Man,1  in  whom  sex  attraction  becomes  an  irre- 
sistible force,  acquiring  an  intensity  which  affects 
his  entire  life  and  consciously  or  unconsciously 
influences  his  thoughts,  his  feelings  and  his  ac- 
tions. Such  a force  must  be  studied,  controlled 
and  properly  directed — for  if  not  controlled,  or 

1 Wherever  Man  is  used  with  a capital  it  is  used  as  a synonym 
for  mankind,  and  embraces  both  man  and  woman.  It  is  unfor- 
tunate that  the  English  language  does  not  possess  a special  word, 
inclusive  of  both  sexes. 


15 


Chapter  Three 


THE  MALE  SEX  ORGANS 

THE  male  sexual  or  sex  organs,  also  called 
the  Reproductive  or  Generative  Organs, 
are  divided  into  external  and  internal.  The  exter- 
nal, which  are,  so  to  say,  outside  of  the  body,  are 
the  Penis  and  the  Testicles.  The  internal  ones 
are  the  Prostate  and  the  Seminal  Vesicles.  The 
most  important,  most  essential  of  these  organs 
are  the  testicles,  because  it  is  they  that  elaborate 
the  Semen,  without  which  no  children  could  be 
begotten,  and  which  is  necessary  in  order  to  de- 
velop the  male  characteristics.  Without  the  tes- 
ticles a man  would  not  be  a man,  and  it  is  with 
the  testicles  that  we  will  begin  the  study  of  the 
male  sex  organs. 

THE  TESTICLES 

The  testicles,  also  called  testes  (singular  testis, 
plural  testes),  are  two  somewhat  egg-shaped 
glands  contained  in  a bag  or  pouch,  called  the 
Scrotum.  The  average  size  of  the  testicles  is  one 
and  one-half  to  two  inches  long,  one  inch  broad, 
one  and  one-quarter  inches  thick,  weight:  three- 

19 


20 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


quarters  to  one  ounce.  The  two  testicles  in  the 
scrotum  are  separated  from  each  other  by  a parti- 
tion, so  that  each  one  is  in  a separate  compart- 
ment. The  testicles  are  not  lying  loose  in  the  scro- 
tum, but  each  is  suspended  from  a cord  called  the 
Speematic  Coed.  The  left  spermatic  cord  is  some- 
what longer  than  the  right,  and  so  is  the  left  com- 
partment of  the  scrotum ; the  left  testicle  therefore 
usually  hangs  lower  than  the  right.  This  is  per- 
fectly normal,  as  it  should  be,  nevertheless  many 
young  men  on  becoming  aware  of  this  fact  for  the 
first  time  become  frightened  and  think  that  there 
is  something  wrong  with  them.  If  they  are  unfor- 
tunate enough  to  consult  a quack,  he  frightens 
them  still  more,  and  gives  them  medicine  or  ad- 
vises an  operation.  A knowledge  of  this  little  fact 
will  save  you  unnecessary  worry. 

The  testicles  are  extremely  sensitive  organs ; a 
blow  on  them  may  cause  the  person,  to  fall  in  a 
dead  faint,  and  we  must  be  careful  to  protect  them 
from  all  injuries,  for  an  injury  to  the  testicles  by 
a blow  or  fall  may  cause  an  inflammation,  and 
an  inflammation  may  interfere  with  the  future 
functioning  of  the  testicle;  it  may  destroy  its 
power  to  produce  semen,  or  clog  up  the  openings, 
preventing  the  semen  from  coming  out.  There 
are  many  men  unable  to  have  children  because 


THE  MALE  SEX  ORGANS 


21 


in  childhood  they  fell  or  received  a severe  blow 
or  squeeze  on  the  testicles.  It  seems  an  inexcusa- 
ble blunder  on  the  part  of  nature  to  have  placed 
such  precious  organs,  absolutely  essential  to  the 
perpetuation  of  the  race,  in  such  an  exposed  and 
unprotected  position.  They  should  have  been 
placed  in  a well-protected  position  in  the  body, 
the  same  as  the  ovaries,  the  female  organs  of 
generation,  are.  ✓ 

The  testicles  are  not  solid  bodies,  but,  as  you 
will  see  from  the  illustration,  consist  of  a number 


22 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


of  lobules  or  divisions,  each  one  with  its  duct 
to  carry  out  the  semen;  these  ducts  unite  to  form 
the  Epididymis,  from  which  the  semen  passes  into 
the  vas  deferens. 

The  epididymis  lies  on  or  embraces  the  upper 
and  back  portion  of  the  testicles;  it  consists  of 
three  portions : a head,  body  and  tail ; the  upper 
portion  of  the  epididymis  is  enlarged,  forming 
a head  called  the  globus  major  (see  illustration) ; 
then  it  goes  down  pretty  straight,  forming  the 
body  of  the  epididymis;  at  the  bottom  it  again 
enlarges,  forming  a smaller  enlargement,  called 
the  globus  minor.  The  globus  minor  or  tail  bends 
upward,  uniting  with  or  being  continued  as  the 
Seminal  Duct  or  Vas  Deferens,  which  is  the  ex- 
cretory duct  of  the  testicle  and  carries  the  semen 
into  the  Seminal  Vesicles  and  Urethra.  The 
canal  or  lumen  of  the  seminal  duct  or  vas  defer- 
ens is  exceedingly  small,  measuring  only  about 
1/50  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  It  is  not  surprising 
that  any  inflammation,  such  as  results  from  gon- 
orrhea, is  apt  to  clog  it  up  entirely,  preventing  the 
semen  from  passing  through. 

At  the  base  of  the  bladder  each  vas  deferens 
becomes  enlarged,  forming  a pouch,  or  little  sack, 
called  the  ampulla.  This  ampulla  acts  as  a little 
reservoir  for  the  semen. 


23 


THE  MALE  SEX  ORGANS 

✓ 

I have  stated  before  that  the  testicles  are  not 
lying  loose  in  the  scrotum,  but  are  suspended  by 
two  cords  called  the  spermatic  cords.  These  are 
not  solid  cords,  hut  consist  of  the  spermatic  ducts 
or  vasa  deferentia,  veins,  arteries  and  nerves. 
The  veins  in  the  spermatic  cord  sometimes  become 
enlarged,  feeling  like  a bunch  of  worms ; this  con- 
dition is  called  varicocele,  and  we  will  discuss  it  in 
a future  chapter. 

The  penis  or  male  organ,  also  called  phallus 
(male  member,  membrum  virile),  is  the  organ  of 
copulation  and  also  of  urination.  It  may  be  di- 
vided in  three  parts:  the  root,  the  body  and  ex- 
tremity or  glans.  The  part  by  which  it  is  attached 
to  the  body  is  called  the  root ; the  rounded  some- 
what triangular  portion  in  which  it  ends  is  called 
the  glans;  the  ridge  of  the  glans  is  called  the 
crown  or  corona;  the  part  of  the  penis  between 
the  root  and  the  glans  is  called  the  body  of  the 
penis;  the  double  fold  of  skin  which  covers  the 
glans  and  can  be  pulled  backward  is  called  the 
foreskin  or  prepuce.  To  circumcise  means  to  re- 
move the  foreskin. 

If  the  penis  is  dissected  it  is  found  to  consist 
of  three  distinct  bodies,  two  on  top,  called  the 
cavernous  bodies  or  corpora  cavernosa;  and  one 
on  the  bottom,  fitting  in  the  groove  made  by  the 


24 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


cavernous  bodies,  and  called 
the  spongy  body  or  corpus 
spongiosum.  It  is  this  cor- 
pus spongiosum  which  is 
perforated  or  tunneled 
by  the  urethra  or  uri- 
nary canal,  through 
which  the  urine  passes. 
Under  ordinary  circum- 
stances, the  penis  is  soft 
and  flaccid,  but  under 
the  influence  of  sexual 


Penis,  Urethra,  Cowper ’s 
Glands,  Prostate  and  Sem- 
inal Vesicles,  seen  from 
below  and  behind. 


THE  MALE  SEX  ORGANS 


25 


excitement  or  any  other  irritation  it  is  apt  to  be- 
come stiff  and  erect.  And  this  condition  is  called 
erection.  In  the  soft  relaxed  condition  the  penis 
may  measure  from  one  to  six  inches  in  length; 
when  erect  it  may  measure  between  four  and  nine 
inches.  The  size  of  the  penis  and  testicles  is  not  a 
reliable  criterion  of  man’s  sexual  potency  or  viril- 
ity. A person  with  large  sexual  organs  may  be 
completely  impotent,  and  vice  versa. 

The  glans  of  the  penis  belongs  to  the  spongy 
body  only;  that  is,  it  is  formed  by  an  enlargement 
of  that  body,  and  not  of  the  corpora  cavernosa. 
The  little  hole  or  opening  which  you  see  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  glans  is  called  the  meatus  or  meatus  uri- 
narius.  The  urethra  or  urinary  canal  (urinary 
channel,  water  pipe)  extends  from  the  meatus  to 
the  neck  of  the  bladder.  The  urine  passes 
through  it,  as  also  does  the  semen.  The  urethra 
is  a very  important  canal.  It  is  lined  with  a deli- 
cate lining  or  mucous  membrane,  containing  many 
little  glands  and  crypts.  This  structure  of  the 
urethra  is  of  great  importance,  for  it  renders  the 
cure  of  certain  inflammations,  such  as  gonorrhea, 
very  difficult,  as  we  will  see  later  on.  The  ure- 
thra is  generally  divided  into  two  portions — the 
front  portion  or  anterior  urethra,  and  the  back 
portion  or  posterior  uretha.  On  the  floor  of  the 


26 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


posterior  urethra  is  a narrow  ridge  or  elevation 
called  the  verumontcmum,  or  caput  gallinaginis, 
which  plays  a great  role  in  sexual  impotence.  On 
each  side  of  the  verumontanum  there  are  the 
openings  of  the  ejaculatory  ducts  and  of  the  pros- 
tatic ducts.  In  other  words,  both  the  semen  and 
the  prostatic  fluid  are  emptied  on  the  floor  of  the 
posterior  urethra,  whence  they  pass  out  to  the 
meatus  and  the  outside. 

We  have  learned  that  the  seminal  ducts  or  vasa 
deferentia  are  the  tubes  or  ducts  which  carry  out 
the  semen  from  the  testicles ; but  they  do  not  al- 
ways carry  it  directly  to  the  urethra;  they  first 
firing  it  to  reservoirs  or  receptacles,  one  on  each 
side,  called  the  seminal  vesicles,  or  vesiculce  semi- 
nales;  there  the  semen  is  stored  up,  until  such 
time  when  it  may  be  needed;  from  each  seminal 
vesicle  there  is  an  excretory  duct  which  uniting 
with  the  vas  deferens  of  its  side  forms  the  ejacu- 
latory duct , which  during  a sexual  orgasm  ejacu- 
lates or  throws  out  the  semen  into  the  urethral 
canal.  The  seminal  vesicles  do  not  serve  merely 
as  reservoirs ; they  have  a secretion  of  their  own 
which  forms  one  of  the  ingredients  of  the  semen. 
The  seminal  vesicles  measure  about  two  and  one- 
half  inches  in  length,  are  lying  above  and  to  each 


THE  MALE  SEX  ORGANS  27 

side  of  the  prostate,  and  can  be  easily  felt  by 
putting  a finger  in  the  rectum. 

We  have  learned  something — all  you  need  know 
at  the  present  time — about  the  testicles  and  their 
appendages,  the  epididymides,  also  the  vasa  def- 
erentia,  the  seminal  vesicles,  the  penis  and  the  ure- 
thra. There  is  one  more  sex  organ  we  have  to 
consider,  and  that  is  the  Prostate. 


Prostate,  Seminal  Vesicles  and  Seminal  Ducts  seen  from  front 
and  above. 


28 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


THE  PROSTATE 

The  prostate  or  prostate  gland  is  a very  im- 
portant little  organ,  though  it  is  but  a short  time 
since  its  importance  has  begun  to  be  recognized. 
By  putting  a finger  in  the  rectum  it  can  be  felt,  ex- 
amined and  measured  very  plainly.  It  is  the  size 


VAS 

deferens 


SEMINAL 

VESICLE 


AMPULLA 


COWPER'S 

gland 


THE  PROSTATE,  AND  SEMINAL  VESICLES  VIEWED  FROM  BEHIND 


THE  MALE  SEX  ORGANS 


29 


of  a horse  chestnut  and  perforated  at  about  its 
center  to  permit  the  passage  of  the  urethra  and 
the  ejaculatory  ducts.  (The  part  of  the  urethra 
which  passes  through  the  prostate  is  called  the 
prostatic  urethra;  it  is  about  an  inch  in  length.) 
The  prostate  consists  of  both  glandular  and  mus- 
cular tissue,  it  is  surrounded  by  a tough  covering 
or  capsule,  secretes  a sticky  milky  secretion,  which 
seems  to  be  necessary  to  the  life  and  mobility  of 
the  spermatozoids.  A congestion,  inflammation 
or  enlargement  of  the  prostate  leads  to  a great 
deal  of  trouble,  as  we  will  learn  in  a future 
chapter. 

Two  other  little  glands  may  be  mentioned: 
Cowper’s  glands.  They  are  about  the  size  of  a 
pea,  are  situated  just  beyond  and  beneath  the 
prostate,  and  have  an  excretory  duct  about  an 
inch  long,  through  which  they  empty  their  secre- 
tion on  the  floor  of  the  urethra.  Cowper’s  glands 
are  not  considered  of  much  importance  physio- 
logically, but  wThen  the  gonorrheal  germs  get  into 
them  and  they  become  infected,  as  they  often  do 
in  chronic  gonorrhea,  they  contribute  their  share 
towards  making  a complete  cure  a difficult  and 
sometimes  an  impossible  task. 


Chapter  Four 


THE  PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  SEX  ORGAHS 

THE  testicles  are  the  essential  sex  organs. 

They  manufacture  the  spermatozoa  and 
without  them  there  could  be  no  perpetuation  of 
the  race.  But  outside  of  their  reproductive  func- 
tion, which  is  of  vital  importance  to  the  race,  they 
possess  another  function,  which  is  of  the  greatest 
importance  to  the  individual.  That  function  influ- 
ences the  strength,  the  development,  the  psychic 
life,  the  brain  activity  of  the  individual,  in  a re- 
markable degree,  and  by  reason  of  this  function 
the  testicles  are  only  second  in  importance  to 
the  brain  itself.  It  has  been  known  for  thousands 
of  years  that  the  testicles  manufacture  a secre- 
tion, which  is  necessary  for  begetting  children. 
(Some  savage  races  even  now  do  not  know  the 
causal  relationship  between  intercourse  and  im- 
pregnation.) But  it  is  only  recently  that  we  nave 
learned  that  besides  the  spermatozoa,  the  testicles 
also  manufacture  an  internal  secretion,  which  is 
absorbed  into  the  blood,  and  influences  the  phys- 

31 


32 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


ical  growth  and  psychic  development  of  the  in- 
dividual. This  internal  secretion  is  responsible 
for  the  secondary  sex  characters  in  man — for  the 
growth  of  the  beard,  the  hairy  covering  of  the 
body,  the  masculine  development  of  the  bones  and 
muscles,  the  male  voice,  etc.  It  also  acts  as  an  en- 
ergizer of  the  whole  body,  stimulating  the  brain, 
the  nervous  system,  the  muscles,  etc.,  and,  last  but 
not  least,  this  internal  secretion  contains  a sub- 
stance, which  has  been  named  libido  gen,  whose 
action  is  to  stimulate  the  sexual  desire.  It  is  seen 
that  while  the  external  secretion  of  the  testicles, 
the  spermatozoa,  is  what  might  be  called  the  ra- 
cial secretion,  the  internal  secretion  is  necessary 
to  the  individual’s  welfare.  While  the  internal 
testicular  secretion  has  not  yet  been  isolated  and 
analyzed,  we  have  no  doubt  of  its  existence. 
When  the  testicles  are  removed  from  a man  or  an 
animal  the  changes  are  unmistakable,  and  the  ear- 
lier the  testicles  are  removed  the  more  marked 
are  the  changes. 

The  removal  of  sex  glands  in  either  man  or 
woman  is  called  castration.  A castrated  bull  is 
called  an  ox;  a castrated  stallion — a gelding;  a 
castrated  rooster — a capon,  etc.  And  nobody  can 
fail  to  note  the  difference  between  a castrated  and 
a non-castrated  animal.  The  non-castrated  male 


PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  SEX  ORGANS  33 


animal  is  full  of  fire,  aggressiveness ; lie  is  men- 
tally bright  and  fearless.  The  castrated  animal 
is  dull,  apathetic,  patient,  and  is  just  good  for  a 
beast  of  burden.  When  a boy  is  castrated  in  child- 
hood or  early  youth  he  fails  to  develop  into  a man. 
His  voice  always  remains  high  pitched,  no  hair 
grows  on  his  upper  lip  or  face,  and  the  whole 
skeleton  and  muscles  assume  feminine  character- 
istics. But  not  only  physically  is  there  a lack  of 
development,  mentally  he  also  never  grows  up. 
He  remains  shy,  retiring,  avoids  female  company, 
and  is  in  most  cases  very  dull  mentally. 

Sufficient  has  been  said  to  show  the  great  im- 
portance of  the  testicles  for  the  race  and  the  in- 
dividual, and  you  will  therefore  understand  how 
any  abuse  of  the  testicles  is  apt  to  affect  the  en- 
tire organism — body  and  mind. 

The  function  of  the  prostate  gland  is,  as  men- 
tioned, to  secrete  a fluid  which  seems  to  be  neces- 
sary to  the  mobility  of  the  spermatozoa.  For 
when  removed  directly  from  the  testicles,  the 
spermatozoa  have  little  motion  of  their  own.  It  is 
also  claimed  that  the  prostatic  secretion  furnishes 
nourishment  to  the  spermatozoa.  It  is  now  also 
believed  by  some  sexologists  that  the  prostate,  be- 
sides its  external  secretion  which  forms  a part  of 
the  semen,  has  an  internal  secretion  of  its  own. 


34 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


The  secretion,  however,  has  not  been  isolated  and 
what  its  effect  is  on  the  economy  of  the  body  is  not 
known. 

It  used  to  he  assumed  that  the  seminal  vesicles 
are  merely  reservoirs  for  storage  of  the  semen. 
This  opinion  has  undergone  a radical  change. 
Only  a small  portion  of  the  testicular  secretion  is 
stored  in  the  seminal  vesicles ; the  secretion  that 
we  find  in  the  seminal  vesicles,  which  we  can 
squeeze  out  by  massaging  the  vesicles,  is  contrib- 
uted by  the  vesicles  themselves;  for  it  has  been 
found  that  the  vesicles  are  not  merely  receptacles, 
but  are  like  glands  and  have  a secretion  of  their 
own. 

Cowper’s  Glands  and  the  glands  of  the  urethra 
known  as  Littre’s  glands  give  out  a secretion 
which  has  an  alkaline  reaction.  This  secretion 
takes  place  under  the  influence  of  sexual  excite- 
ment and  serves  to  render  the  urethral  canal  alka- 
line; the  urethral  canal,  especially  soon  after  the 
act  of  urination,  has  an  acid  reaction,  because  the 
urine  is  acid.  Spermatozoa  are  readily  affected 
and  destroyed  by  acids,  and  the  secretion  from 
Cowper’s  and  Littre’s  glands  neutralises  the  acid- 
ity of  any  moisture  that  may  be  in  the  urethra, 
and  which  would  interfere  with  the  vitality  of  the 
spermatozoa. 


PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  SEX  ORGANS  35 


THE  SEMEN 

The  semen  is  a thick  viscid  fluid  of  a peculiar 
odor  not  possessed  by  any  other  substance.  It  is 
the  fluid  necessary  to  impregnate  a woman.  We 
apply  the  word  semen  to  the  fluid  elaborated  by 
the  testicles,  but  this  is  not  quite  correct.  The 
fluid  elaborated  by  the  testicles  should  be  called 
the  sperm,  sperma  or  spermatic  fluid:  that  con- 
tains the  spermatozoa  in  a fluid  medium,  in  which 
they  float.  But  the  semen  as  it  comes  out  from 
the  urethra  is  a mixture  of  several  secretions : the 
spermatic  fluid  from  the  testicles  plus  the  secre- 
tions from  the  prostate,  the  seminal  vesicles,  Cow- 
per’s  glands  and  the  glands  of  the  urethra.  It  is 
questionable  if  the  spermatic  fluid  alone  would  be 
capable  of  impregnating  the  female  ovum:  the 
other  secretions,  particularly  that  from  the  pros- 
tate, seem  to  play  an  important  adjuvant  role. 
Some  believe  that  these  secretions  furnish  nour- 
ishment to  the  spermatozoa,  in  the  interval  be- 
tween their  ejaculation  and  their  union  with  the 
ovum ; the  spermatozoa  may  have  to  hunt 
several  hours  or  days  in  the  woman’s  ute- 
rus or  tubes  before  they  happen  to  strike 
an  ovum : this  is  a hypothesis  which  can- 
not be  proved  or  disproved,  and  we  may  ac- 


36 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


cept  it  tentatively.  The  principal  fact  is  that  for 
semen  to  be  healthy,  fertile,  it  mnst  contain  all  the 
secretions  in  a healthy  normal  condition.  When 
the  prostate  or  seminal  vesicles  are  diseased,  the 
fertility  of  the  semen  may  be  diminished  or  al- 
together destroyed,  even  if  the  spermatozoa  are 
numerous  and  seem  to  be  perfectly  well-formed. 

SPERMATOZOA 

When  we  examine  a drop  of  semen  under  the 
microscope,  we  will  find  floating  and  wriggling 
and  lashing  their  tails  thousands  of  little  bodies, 
shaped  like  pollywogs  and  having  all  the  appear- 
ance of  independent  little  animals.  No  wonder 
that  the  first  microscopists  thought  they  were  lit- 
tle animals,  and  called  them  animalcula  and  sper- 
matozoa or  sperm-animals.  The  name  is  a bad 
and  misleading  one : by  association  we  cannot  help 
thinking  of  them  as  of  little  animals  or  independ- 
ent germs.  They  are  not.  They  are  just  cells,  ca- 
pable of  motion.  Hence  it  is  preferable  to  call 
them  zoosperms,  spermatozoids  or  just  spermia. 
But  even  if  they  are  just  cells,  they  are  the  most 
wonderful  cells  in  all  creation.  They  are  the 
smallest  cells  in  the  body  (while  the  female  ova 
or  eggs  are  the  largest).  They  are  manufactured 
in  immense  numbers.  It  is  estimated  that  during 


PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  SEX  OEGANS  37 

intercourse  each  ejaculation  contains  about  two 
million  spermatozoa!  (And  some  say  two  hun- 
dred million !)  And  of  these  each  one  carries  in  it 
the  impress  of  the  entire  man.  When  the  sperma- 
tozoon pierces  an  ovum,  fertilizes  it  and  it  devel- 
ops into  a fetus  or  child  it  has  transmitted  to  it 
all  the  characteristics  of  its  author  or  progenitor: 
not  only  all  the  physical  characteristics,  such  as 


stature,  color  of  hair,  eyes,  but  even  such  subtle 
characteristics  as  temperament,  brain  power, 
longevity,  etc.,  etc.  The  most  powerful  micro- 
scope, the  most  subtle  chemical  analysis  cannot 


SPERMATOZOA 


38 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


differentiate  between  tbe  spermatozoon  of  one 
man  and  that  of  another,  and  still  one  may  be  a 
miniatnre  Newton,  Hugo,  or  Goethe,  and  the  other 
a brutish  imbecile  or  a habitual  incorrigible  mur- 


derer. 

1 


2 

? , 


1.  Human  spermatozoon,  in  profile  and  on  the  flat,  b, 

head;  e,  middle  piece;  d,  tail. 

2.  Animal  spermatozoa,  a,  bat;  b and  c,  frog;  d,  finch; 
e,  ram;  f and  g,  boar;  h,  jellyfish;  i,  monkey;  k, 
round  worm;  1,  crab. 


The  spermatozoa  or  spermia  (singular:  sper- 
matozoon and  spermium),  a good  illustration  of 
which  appears  on  this  page,  consist  of  a head, 
neck,  body  and  tail  or  flagellum.  The  head  is  oval, 
but  flattened,  and  therefore  pear-shaped,  when 
viewed  in  profile.  The  top  part  of  it,  by  which  it 
pierces  the  ovum,  is  called  the  head-cap  or  per- 
forator. The  tail  acts  as  a propeller  and  it  is  by 


PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  SEX  ORGANS  39 


the  aid  of  its  lashing,  wriggling  movement  that  the 
spermium  is  capable  of  independent  motion.  It  is 
estimated  that  a spermium  can  travel  an  inch  in 
about  seven  minutes. 

The  process  of  secreting  or,  to  use  a better 
term,  generating  the  spermatozoa  is  called  sper- 
matogenesis. Spermatozoa  readily  lose  their  vi- 
tality on  coming  in  contact  with  any  acid,  or  any 
medium  which  has  an  acid  reaction. 


Chapter  Five 


PUBERTY  AND  THE  AWAKENING  OF  THE 
SEX  INSTINCT 

PUBERTY  (from  the  Latin  puber — ripe)  is 
the  age  at  which  the  boy  or  girl  reaches  sex- 
ual maturity.  Numerous  wonderful  changes  take 
place  in  a boy’s  development  during  that  period. 
The  sexual  organs  increase  rapidly  in  size,  the 
testes  becoming  eight  times  as  large,  hair  appears 
on  the  pubic  region  and  in  the  armpits,  the  entire 
body  acquires  a more  or  less  pronounced  hairy 
covering,  the  shoulders  become  broader,  the  chest 
deeper,  the  boy  grows  several  inches  in  height,  the 
arms  become  awkwardly  long,  the  voice  becomes 
considerably  deeper,  changing  from  a treble  to  a 
tenor  and  from  an  alto  to  a bass,  hair  appears  on 
the  upper  lip  and  a little  down  shows  on  the  face 
— and  above  all  the  sex  instinct  awakens,  and  the 
boy’s  desires,  which  up  to  that  time  were  vague, 
undefined  and  undefinable  longings,  now  become 
definite,  with  a definite  object  in  view.  At  that 
time  he  is  also  apt  to  get  his  first  nocturnal  emis- 
sion which  frightens  or  puzzles  him  so  much. 

41 


42 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


The  usual  age  at  which  puberty  occurs  in  hoys 
in  our  country  is  between  thirteen  and  fifteen; 
some  boys  reach  it  at  the  age  of  twelve,  others  not 
until  sixteen,  very  rarely  seventeen.  But  while 
the  boy  is  sexually  mature,  that  is,  his  semen  con- 
tains spermatozoa  and  he  can  impregnate  a woman 
at  thirteen  to  fifteen,  it  does  not  mean  that  he  is 
fully  mature  physically.  He  continues  to  grow 
and  strengthen  the  organs  until  the  age  of  eigh- 
teen or  twenty,  and  it  is  only  then  that  he  is 
biologically  fit  to  marry.  If  he  should  beget  chil- 
dren before  that  age,  they  would  be  apt  to  be  weak 
and  rather  undersized,  though  not  necessarily  so. 
It  would  probably  be  better  from  the  physical,  and 
surely  from  the  social  and  economic  point  of  view, 
if  no  man  became  a father  before  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-five, or  at  least  twenty-two. 

The  prevailing  idea  is — and  you  will  find  it  so 
expressed  in  some  of  our  sex  books — that  up  to  the 
age  of  puberty,  the  boy  and  girl  do  not  really  dif- 
fer much  from  each  other,  that  they  are  neuter  be- 
ings without  any  sex  feeling,  and  that  it  is  only 
with  the  advent  of  puberty  that  the  sex  instinct 
awakens,  and  the  boy  becomes  a boy  and  the  girl 
a girl.  This  idea  is  erroneous.  The  sex  instinct 
is  present  in  the  child  from  the  moment  of  its 
birth,  and  just  as  the  male  child  is  physically  dif- 


AWAKENING  OF  SEX  INSTINCT  43 


ferent  from  the  female  child,  so  it  differs  psy- 
chically though  not  to  the  same  degree.  And  the 
sex  instinct  is  quite  active  in  boys  of  four,  five  and 
six.  Not  only  do  they  experience  a strong  attrac- 
tion for  members  of  the  opposite  sex,  but  a boy 
of  five  or  six  can  fall  violently  in  love  with  a young 
or  middle-aged  woman,  and  suffer  acutely  when 
the  object  of  his  “love”  is  denied  him,  or  he  has  to 
part  from  her.  Various  sexual  practises  are  also 
very  frequently  indulged  in  by  boys  five  to  ten 
years  old,  either  with  little  girls  or  boys.  As  a re- 
sult of  proper  bringing  up,  of  the  development  of 
the  feeling  of  shame,  of  remonstrances  and  injunc- 
tions of  the  parents,  of  the  fear  of  punishment,  a 
quiescent  stage  supervenes,  during  which  the  in- 
stinct is  apparently  dormant,  to  awaken  in  its  full 
intensity  with  the  advent  of  puberty.  In  many 
boys,  however,  there  is  no  dormant  stage,  the  sex 
instinct  exhibiting  a greater  or  lesser  degree  of 
activity  from  the  age  of  five  or  six  onward.  And 
in  many  the  instinct  becomes  extinct  only  when 
life  does. 

The  question  of  the  early  activity  of  the  sex  in- 
stinct is  not  of  academic  interest  only:  it  is  of 
great  practical  importance.  For  if  the  sex  im- 
pulse is  active  during  the  earliest  infancy  and 
childhood,  it  stands  to  reason  that  the  child,  hav- 


44 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


ing  no  knowledge  or  experience  to  be  guided  by,  is 
apt  to  develop  some  very  injurious  habits  and 
even  perversions.  And  as  a matter  of  fact,  this 
is  so.  When  we  analyze  certain  perversions  and 
nervous  disorders  from  which  men  (and  women) 
suffer,  we  often  find  that  their  origin  lies  back  in 
some  experience  which  the  patient  had  in  his  ear- 
liest childhood.  It  therefore  also  stands  to  rea- 
son that  infancy  and  childhood  are  periods  dur- 
ing which  children  (male  and  female,  but  particu- 
larly male)  must  be  guarded  from  injurious  in- 
fluences most  carefully,  most  painstakingly. 


Chapteb  Six 


SELF-ABUSE  OR  MASTURBATION 

THE  subject  I have  to  discuss  with  you  in  this 
chapter  is  not  a very  pleasant  one.  Indeed 
it  is  a distinctly  unpleasant  one.  But  pleasant  or 
unpleasant,  we  can  not  shirk  our  duty.  You  have 
probably  heard  or  read  a good  deal  about  the 
practise  of  self-abuse  or  masturbation,  also 
spoken  of  as  the  solitary  vice.  The  quacks  to 
whom  I referred  in  a previous  chapter  are  pictur- 
ing the  results  of  this  habit  in  the  most  lurid  col- 
ors. It  constitutes  one  of  their  chief  stocks  in 
trade ; for  as  most  boys  have  masturbated  at  one 
time  or  another,  they  are  sure  to  get  some  victims, 
if  they  only  succeed  in  getting  their  “literature” 
into  the  hands  of  boys  and  young  men.  And  un- 
fortunately many  of  the  books  written  by  reputa- 
ble physicians  are  not  very  much  better  in  this  re- 
spect. They  all  greatly  exaggerate  its  evil  results. 
At  one  time  masturbation  was  considered  the 
cause  of  a large  number  of  terrible  diseases ; con- 
sumption, idiocy,  insanity,  cancer,  locomotor 

45 


46  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 

ataxia  are  only  a few  of  them.  Now  a great 
change  has  taken  place  in  onr  conception  of  this 
habit ; some  physicians  have  even  gone  to  another 
extreme  and  consider  it  a perfectly  normal  phe- 
nomenon and  not  at  all  injurious.  The  truth,  as 
in  most  cases,  will  be  found  in  the  middle.  I 
promised  to  tell  you  the  truth,  and  the  truth  you 
shall  have. 

Masturbation  or  self-abuse  is  not  a crime,  nor 
a vice ; it  is  merely  a bad  practise,  and  it  is  a bad 
practise  because  it  is  apt  to  lead  to  the  habit  of 
masturbation,  which  is  a decidedly  bad  and  injuri- 
ous thing.  The  occasional  indulgence  in  mastur- 
bation is  not  injurious,  and  if  it  could  always  be 
kept  within  proper  bounds,  it  would  not  be  neces- 
sary to  make  a fuss  about  it  and  devote  reams  of 
paper  to  a description  of  its  evils.  But  this  is  just 
the  trouble;  we  can  never  be  sure.  It  is  a practise 
which  is  apt  to  grow  on  a person,  it  weakens  the 
will,  and  before  one  knows  it,  it  is  apt  to  become 
a habit,  difficult  or  almost  impossible  to  break. 
And  when  one  becomes  a slave  to  a habit,  and  in- 
dulges in  it  to  excess,  he  is  pretty  sure  to  weaken 
his  constitution,  to  retard  his  physical  and  mental 
development,  and  eventually  to  make  a wreck  of 
himself.  And  you  don’t  want  to  do  that,  do  you? 

Therefore  if  you  never  indulged  in  the  practise, 


SELF-ABUSE  OR  MASTURBATION  47 


don ’t  begin ; and  if  you  are  indulging,  try  to  give 
it  up.  For  the  sake  of  your  body  and  your  mind, 
give  it  up.  If  it  is  difficult  for  you  to  give  up  at 
once,  give  it  up  gradually,  making  the  intervals 
between  indulgences  as  long  as  possible,  and 
apply  to  a competent  physician  who  will  help  you 
to  overcome  the  habit  if  you  have  become  a slave 
to  it.  I don’t  want  you  to  misunderstand  me.  I 
do  not  mean  to  say  that  every  boy  or  young  man 
who  masturbates  moderately  ruins  his  health  or 
weakens  his  mind.  On  the  contrary,  the  vast  ma- 
jority of  healthy  normal  boys  get  over  the  prac- 
tise unscathed;  when  they  get  older,  they  give  it 
up  and  are  not  any  the  worse  off  for  it.  But  you 
note  that  I said  healthy  normal  boys ; not  all  boys 
are  healthy  and  normal ; and  on  weak,  nervous  or 
somewhat  abnormal  boys  the  practise  may  exert 
a terribly  injurious  effect;  their  will-power  may 
become  weakened,  and  then  they  may  not  be  able 
to  break  the  habit.  And  even  perfectly  healthy 
boys  if  indulging  to  great  excess  may  ruin  them- 
selves irretrievably. 

You  need  feel  no  shame  or  disgrace  in  acknowl- 
edging your  habit  to  your  father,  mother  or  phy- 
sician. You  are  not  something  unique  in  this  re- 
spect, for  at  least  ninety  out  of  every  one  hundred 
men  have  indulged  in  the  practise  of  self-abuse 


48 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


more  or  less.  Some  say  ninety-nine  or  one  hun- 
dred out  of  every  one  hundred;  in  other  words, 
that  all  men  without  exception  indulge  in  the 
practise  more  or  less.  But  this  is  not  true,  as  I 
know  for  an  absolute  certainty.  But  the  percent- 
age is  so  large  that  when  a patient  comes  to  us  for 
treatment  for  some  sexual  or  venereal  disorder, 
we  do  not  ask  him  if  he  ever  indulged  in  the  prac- 
tise of  masturbation  or  self-abuse;  we  take  that 
for  granted.  We  only  ask  him  if  he  indulged  to 
excess,  how  old  he  was  when  he  started  and  at 
what  age  he  gave  it  up.  Therefore  feel  no  shame 
or  disgrace;  it  is  not  a moral  or  religious  question. 
It  is  purely  a physical  question,  and  it  is  immoral 
only  in  the  sense  that  every  habit  which  weakens 
the  body  and  the  mind,  and  is  apt  to  render  us 
unfit  to  procreate  vigorous  and  bright  children,  is 
immoral.  Of  course,  if  you  do  not  care  whether  or 
not  you  are  weakened  in  mind  or  body,  if  you  do 
not  mind  to  go  through  life  as  a weakling  who  is 
of  no  account,  if  you  are  so  devoid  of  ideals  or 
moral  fiber  that  you  do  not  even  care  if  the  off- 
spring you  are  sometime  going  to  bring  into  the 
world  will  be  fit  or  unfit,  then  I have  nothing  to 
say  to  you.  This  book  will  do  you  little  or  no 
good. 

Is  this  preaching?  Not  at  all.  I am  telling  you 


SELF-ABUSE  OR  MASTURBATION  49 


the  facts  unvarnished  and  unexaggerated  as  I 
know  them,  and  I leave  it  to  you  to  take  your 
choice. 

‘ ‘ Suppose  I am  indulging  in  the  practise  of  self- 
abuse and  have  decided  to  give  it  up.  What  shall 
I do?”  The  way  to  give  up  this  as  any  other 
habit  is  to  give  it  up.  Will-power  is  the  first  and 
foremost  factor.  No  preaching,  no  frightening 
will  have  any  influence  if  you  have  no  real  desire 
to  give  up  your  habit,  if  you  are  incapable  of  exer- 
cising any  will-power.  I do  not  mean  to  say  that 
we  have  no  aid  to  offer  you,  that  we  cannot  do  a 
good  deal  to  facilitate  your  struggle,  to  help  you 
bear  your  critical  days,  but  you  yourself  must 
want  to  get  rid  of  the  habit,  must  exercise  your 
utmost  will-power,  and  then  working  together  you 
may  hope  to  succeed. 

I do  not  say  that  it  will  always  be  an  easy  mat- 
ter. In  some  cases  the  struggle  is  an  exceedingly 
hard  one,  and  you  may  think  you  may  never  be 
able  to  overcome  it.  But,  I repeat,  if  you  sincerely 
and  deeply  wish  to  overcome  it,  and  if  you  bear 
in  mind  that  you  are  neither  a criminal  nor  a vi- 
cious degenerate,  and  that  the  stopping  of  the 
habit  is  merely  for  your  own  good,  and  for  the 
good  of  your  future  wife  and  children,  you  will 
come  out  victorious. 


50 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


There  is  one  point  that  I must  call  attention  to. 
If  the  masturbation  affects  you  badly  and  you 
give  it  up,  you  may  not  experience  any  improve- 
ment at  once.  On  the  contrary,  for  a time  you 
may  feel  very  much  worse,  more  restless,  more 
irritable.  But  if  you  know  beforehand  that  it  is 
temporary,  that  the  breaking  of  every  habit,  for 
instance  the  tobacco  habit,  the  alcohol  habit,  is 
followed  by  disagreeable  effects  for  a time,  you 
will  not  worry,  you  will  not  think  that  the  self- 
abuse has  ruined  you  forever,  but  you  will  be  the 
more  ready  to  gather  all  your  dormant  energy  to 
overcome  your  weakness. 

NO  SUCH  A THING  AS  MASTUEBATOB ’s  FACE 

Many  boys  and  young  men  are  afraid  that  the 
habit  can  be  recognized  on  their  face  and  in  their 
general  demeanor.  This  is  foolish.  There  is  no 
such  a thing  as  a masturbator’s  face;  pimples  are 
no  sign  of  masturbation,  and  on  the  other  hand  a 
non-masturbating  boy  may  be  exceedingly  shy, 
bashful  and  retiring.  Nobody  can  recognize  by 
your  face  that  you  have  been  masturbating,  and 
do  not  make  hasty  conclusions  in  judging  others. 

I am  laying  emphasis  on  this  point  because,  in 
my  opinion,  there  are  few  beliefs  that  have  caused 
greater  mischief  than  the  erroneous  idea  that 


SELF-ABUSE  OR  MASTURBATION  51 


there  are  unmistakable  tell-tale  marks  by  which 
we  can  know  positively  whether  or  not  a person 
is  a masturbator.  Of  course  if  a boy  or  young 
man  masturbates  to  excess,  he  may  become  anemic 
and  his  face  may  get  a pale,  dingy  look,  with  rings 
around  the  eyes,  etc.  But  these  facial  character- 
istics do  not  differ  in  any  way  from  those  pro- 
duced by  many  other  diseases.  A bad  stomach,  in- 
somnia from  any  cause,  a congested  prostate, 
hemorrhoids,  etc.,  may  produce  the  same  facial 
appearance.  It  is  peculiar  that  a person  may  look 
the  picture  of  health,  but  having  heard  or  read 
that  masturbation  may  be  diagnosed  by  merely 
looking  at  one’s  face,  he  will  begin  to  imagine  that 
this  is  the  case  with  him,  and  that  everybody 
knows  that  he  was  addicted  to  the  habit. 

I have  had  a large  number  of  such  cases.  One 
is  worth  alluding  to  in  some  detail. 

The  patient  was  a man  of  twenty-six,  in  perfect 
health,  and  as  perfect  a specimen  of  manhood  as 
one  wants  to  see.  For  fear  of  venereal  infection 
he  avoided  sexual  relations,  but  masturbated  mod- 
erately about  once  a week  or  once  in  five  days. 
There  was  nothing  the  matter  with  him  and  his 
health  was  not  impaired  in  any  way.  He  then 
heard  some  people  talk  about  masturbation,  and 
one  said  that  it  could  always  be  recognized  on  a 


52 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


man’s  face.  He  then  got  hold  of  some  qnack  book- 
let on  the  subject,  and  there  the  same  opinion  was 
expressed.  From  that  time  on  he  began  to  im- 
agine that  everybody  was  looking  at  him  either 
with  pity  or  with  scorn.  The  most  innocent  re- 
mark, which  had  no  reference  to  him  whatever,  he 
misinterpreted  as  referring  directly  to  his  habit. 
He  was  a salesman,  always  well-liked  and  sympa- 
thetic, and  had  a good  trade,  but  his  usefulness 
and  his  success  became  greatly  impaired,  because, 
believing  that  people  were  looking  at  him,  he  be- 
came self-conscious,  shy,  lost  his  courage  and  self- 
assertiveness. 

I listened  to  his  story  carefully  and  sympathet- 
ically, assured  him  that  it  was  all  bosh,  that  there 
was  not  the  slightest  sign  on  his  face  to  indicate 
anything,  convinced  him  that  practically  every- 
body would  have  to  have  some  tell-tale  marks  on 
his  face,  for  the  habit  was  practically  universal, 
showed  him  “in  print”  that  the  so-called  “mas- 
turbator’s face”  was  an  invention  of  the  ignorant 
and  of  quacks,  and  he  immediately  felt  better.  He 
quickly  regained  his  courage  and  his  self-assur- 
ance and  began  to  attend  to  his  business  as  well 
as  ever.  Had  he  fallen  into  the  hands  of  quacks 
he  would  most  likely  have  become  an  incurable 
hypochondriac  or  sexual  neurasthenic. 


SELF-ABUSE  OR  MASTURBATION  53 


FEAR  OF  EVIL  RESULTS  WILL  CAUSE  EVIL  RESULTS 

This  is  a very  important  point.  That  many  of 
the  symptoms  and  evil  results  of  masturbation  are 
due  not  to  the  masturbation  itself  hut  to  the  fear 
that  masturbation  produces  deadly  results,  is 
proven  conclusively  and  definitely  by  the  fact,  that 
after  we  have  had  a talk  with  the  patient  and  ex- 
plained to  him  that  many  of  the  symptoms  are 
the  result  of  his  fear  and  his  imagination,  they 
quickly  disappear  and  the  patient  begins  to  im- 
prove at  once.  The  patient  may  come  to  your 
office  a complete,  pitiable  wreck.  His  complaints 
are  headache,  lack  of  sleep,  poor  appetite,  consti- 
pated bowels,  loss  of  memory,  inability  to  concen- 
trate, lack  of  ambition,  constant  fear  that  some 
misfortune  is  going  to  happen,  shyness  before 
everybody,  male  and  female,  inability  to  talk  in 
public,  suicidal  ideas,  etc.,  etc.  By  a careful  an- 
alysis you  separate  the  wheat  from  the  chaff,  that 
is  the  real  symptoms  from  those  which  are  merely 
the  result  of  fear  induced  by  reading  quack  liter- 
ature, you  explain  to  the  patient  his  true  condi- 
tion, without  minimizing  or  exaggerating  any- 
thing— and  lo ! almost  before  you  stop  talking  the 
patient  has  a more  hopeful  expression,  a better 
color  in  his  face,  and  he  begins  to  go  rapidly  on 


54 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


the  road  to  recovery.  I could  relate  hundreds  of 
such  cases  from  my  practise,  hut  they  would  be 
a mere  monotonous  repetition.  I will  therefore 
merely  emphasize  what  I said  before,  that  the 
lurid  picturing  of  the  evil  results  of  masturbation 
has  done  a hundred  times  more  harm  than  mas- 
turbation itself. 

One  more  point.  Some  good  souls  may  question 
the  advisability  of  telling  the  people  that  mas- 
turbation is  not  such  a terrible  habit  as  they  were 
always  led  to  believe.  They  may  say  that  this 
might  aid  in  the  spread  or  in  the  maintenance 
of  the  habit.  Quite  the  contrary  is  the  case.  As 
I have  expressed  it  in  another  place: 

“In  my  opinion  stigmatizing  even  the  most 
moderate  indulgence  in  masturbation  as  a vice, 
has  a deleterious  effect  on  the  people  who  so  in- 
dulge, and  makes  it  harder  for  them  to  break  off 
the  habit.  Every  thinking  physician  and  every 
thinking  parent  can  tell  you  that  picturing  the 
masturbatory  habit  in  too  lurid  colors  and  stig- 
matizing it  with  too  strong  epithets,  has  as  a rule 
the  contrary  effect  to  the  one  expected.  The  vic- 
tims of  the  habit  consider  themselves  degraded, 
irretrievably  lost.  They  lose  their  self-respect 
and  it  is  on  account  of  that  harder  for  them  to 
break  themselves  of  the  habit. 


SELF-ABUSE  OR  MASTURBATION  55 


<4We  will  accomplish  a good  deal  more  with  our 
youthful  and  older  patients,  if  we  leave  alone  al- 
together the  moral  side  of  the  question  and  em- 
phasize but  do  not  exaggerate  the  physical  in- 
juriousness of  the  habit.  We  do  not  want  to  di- 
minish the  self-respect  of  our  boys  and  girls,  we 
want  to  increase  it;  and  we  cannot  do  it  if  we 
make  them  believe  that  a masturbator  is  a vicious 
criminal.  Inspire  your  patients  with  confidence, 
tell  them  that  continuance  in  the  habit  may  jeop- 
ardize their  future  growth,  physical  and  mental 
health  and  happiness,  and  you  will  find  it  easier  to 
handle  them.” 

In  conclusion,  I will  say  that  I could  give  the 
life-histories  of  hundreds  of  people  who,  as  boys, 
practised  masturbation  quite  regularly  and  stead- 
ily, but  have  grown  up  to  be  healthy,  energetic, 
successful  men,  the  habit  apparently  having  pro- 
duced no  ascertainable  effect,  either  upon  their 
physique  or  upon  their  mentality. 

* * * 

Against  the  wilful  misrepresentation  of  the  evil- 
minded  nothing  will  avail.  But  to  obviate  any 
honest  misunderstanding  on  the  part  of  sincere 
seekers  after  truth  a few  words  may  not  be  out  of 
place.  This  chapter  is  not  a justification  of,  much 
less  a plea  for,  self-abuse.  But  it  is  a plea  for  a 


56 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


sane  attitude  towards  a universally  prevalent  phe- 
nomenon, which  is  purely  physical  in  character; 
it  is  a plea  against  senseless  and  injurious  exag- 
gerations, against  characterization  of  people  as 
criminal  and  vicious  who  at  the  very  worst  are 
only  weak;  it  is  a plea  for  fact  against  fancy.  In 
short,  it  is  a plea  against  driving  people,  through 
feeding  them  upon  falsehood,  into  neurasthenia 
and  melancholy,  who,  through  the  truth,  can  be 
made  quickly  into  normal,  healthy  and  life-enjoy- 
ing men  and  women. 


I 


Chapter  Seveh 

PREVENTION  OF  THE  MASTURBATION 
HABIT 

WHEN  a patient  comes  to  ns  suffering  from 
the  masturbation  habit,  it  is  too  late  to 
speak  of  prevention . But  as  this  book  will  be  read 
by  many  parents  who  are  anxious  for  the  welfare 
of  their  growing  children,  a few  words  about  the 
prevention  of  masturbation  are  not  only  appro- 
priate but  necessary. 

The  keynote  of  preventing  the  habit  is,  carefully 
to  watch  the  child  from  its  earliest  infancy.  We 
know  that  not  infrequently  stupid  or  vicious 
nursemaids,  wet-nurses,  even  governesses  igno- 
rantly or  deliberately  induce  the  habit  in  children 
under  their  charge.  This,  of  course,  must  be  pre- 
vented. Even  children  of  the  age  of  nine,  ten, 
eleven  years  should  not  be  left  alone,  but  always 
be  under  supervision.  Too  close  friendship  be- 
tween boys  or  girls,  particularly  of  different  ages, 
should  be  looked  upon  with  suspicion.  Boys  of 
fourteen,  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of  age  do  not, 

57 


58 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


as  a rule,  make  good  companions  for  boys  of  ten 
or  eleven. 

A number  of  boys  or  of  girls  should  never  sleep 
in  the  same  room  without  supervision  by  an  older 
person. 

The  sleeping  together  of  two  in  the  same  bed, 
whether  it  be  two  children  or  a grown  person  and 
a child,  should  not  be  permitted  under  any  circum- 
stances. I admit  of  no  exceptions  to  this  demand. 
It  makes  no  difference  whether  the  other  person 
is  a mother,  a father,  a brother  or  a sister.  Leav- 
ing out  of  the  question  any  deliberate  element, 
the  thing  is  dangerous;  for,  very  often,  uninten- 
tionally, unwittingly,  masturbation  is  initiated  by 
this  intimate  contact. 

The  child — boy  or  girl — should  sleep  alone,  on 
a rather  hard  mattress.  The  covering  should  be 
light.  A coverlet  may  be  put  over  the  feet.  The 
child  should  always  sleep  with  the  arms  out  upon 
the  cover  or  blanket,  never  under  the  same.  If 
this  is  done  from  childhood  on,  it  is  very  easy  to 
get  used  to  this  way  of  sleeping,  and  many  a case 
of  masturbation  will  thus  be  obviated.  The  child 
should  not  be  permitted  to  loll  in  bed;  it  must 
be  taught  to  get  up  as  soon  as  it  awakes  in  the 
morning.  The  general  bringing-up  must  be  of  a 
strengthening,  hardening  character;  and  this  ap- 


PREVENTION  OF  THE  HABIT  59 


plies  both  to  the  body  and  the  will.  When  the 
child  reaches  the  age  of  nine,  ten,  eleven,  twelve 
or  thirteen  years  (we  must  use  discrimination 
and  judgment,  for  some  children  of  nine  are  as 
developed  as  are  others  of  thirteen),  we  must  tell 
them  that  it  is  bad  and  injurious  to  handle  one’s 
genitals,  and  we  must  warn  them  to  shun  any  com- 
panions who  wish  to  initiate  them  into  any  manip- 
ulations of  these  parts  or  who  show  an  inclination 
to  talk  about  the  sexual  organs  and  sex  matters. 

Hot  baths  are  very  injurious  for  young  children 
in  their  influence  in  this  direction.  There  is  no 
question  that  a hot  bath  has  a very  decided  stimu- 
lating effect  upon  the  sexual  desire  of  adults  as 
well  as  of  children,  both  male  and  female ; in  fact, 
I have  had  several  patients  of  both  sexes  tell  me 
that  their  first  masturbatory  act  was  committed 
while  they  were  in  a hot  bath.  Of  course,  the  sen- 
sation having  been  pleasurable,  they  kept  on  re- 
peating the  experience. 

There  is  one  little  point  about  the  garments  of 
boys  to  be  borne  in  mind:  their  trousers  should 
be  made  without  pockets.  Namely,  by  their  con- 
stant fiddling  about  with  their  hands  in  their 
pants’  pockets,  they  frequently  get  into  the  way 
of  masturbating,  and  many  even  will  make  a hole 


60 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


in  the  lining,  to  enable  them  thus  to  carry  on  the 
practise. 

Furthermore,  every  factor  liable  to  give  rise  to 
the  habit  should  be  removed.  Thus,  for  instance, 
phimosis,  eczema  about  the  genitals,  strongly  acid 
urine,  seatworms,  and  the  like,  should  be  treated 
and  removed.  The  prepuce  as  a factor  in  leading 
to  masturbation  has  never  been  sufficiently  em- 
phasized. However,  the  prepuce  is  a great  factor, 
so  that  circumcision  often  becomes  imperative  and 
should  not  he  neglected. 

That  anything  having  a tendency  prematurely 
to  awaken  the  sexual  instinct  should  be  rigorously 
avoided  goes  without  saying.  Musical  comedies 
and  certain  vaudeville  shows  exert  a pernicious 
influence  in  this  respect.  I do  not  demand  any 
censorship  over  our  theaters,  I simply  am  stating 
facts.  Many  of  my  patients  told  me  that  their 
first  masturbatory  act  took  place  when  they  were 
attending  some  musical  show.  Much  as  I believe 
in  freedom,  I nevertheless  would  strongly  urge 
parents  to  keep  their  boys  away  from  sensuous 
musical  comedies  and  obscene  vaudeville  acts. 

PSYCHIC  MASTURBATION 

Some  young  men,  having  heard  of  the  injuri- 
ousness or  sinfulness  of  masturbation,  give  up  the 


PREVENTION  OF  THE  HABIT  61 


habit ; that  is,  they  give  it  up  as  it  is  usually  prac- 
tised, but  they  do  not  give  it  up  altogether.  They 
practise  what  we  call  mental,  abstract  or  psychic 
masturbation ; that  is,  they  concentrate  their 
minds  on  the  opposite  sex,  upon  lascivious  pic- 
tures, imagine  all  sorts  of  things,  until  ejaculation 
takes  place.  They  think  that  as  long  as  they  do 
not  do  anything  manually,  everything  is  all  right. 
There  is  no  greater  error.  For  of  all  kinds  of 
masturbation,  this  sort  of  psychic  masturbation  is 
the  most  baneful,  most  injurious  and  most  likely 
to  lead  to  neurasthenia  and  to  impotence.  For 
in  order  to  induce  an  ejaculation  by  mental  proc- 
esses, an  extreme  degree  of  congestion  of  the  sex- 
ual organs  and  very  high  nervous  excitation  are 
necessary,  and  injury  to  the  sex  organs  and  to 
the  nervous  system  is  unavoidable. 

Psychic  masturbation  should  be  avoided  by  all 
means,  and  if  masturbation  must  be  indulged  in, 
if  the  person  is  too  weak  to  abstain  from  it  alto- 
gether, then  the  manual  habit  is  preferable,  be- 
cause much  less  injurious  physically  and  psychic- 
ally. 


Chapter  Eight 


POLLUTIONS  OE  WET  DREAMS 

BY  the  term  pollution,  or  night  emission,  vul- 
garly known  as  wet  dream,  we  understand 
an  emission  of  semen  occurring  during  sleep. 
The  emission  is  usually  accompanied  by  an  erotic 
or  sexual  dream.  That  is,  the  patient  dreams  that 
he  is  playing,  fooling  with,  or  is  having  relations 
with  a person  of  the  opposite  sex.  As  with  mas- 
turbation, the  advertising  quacks  greatly  exag- 
gerate the  evil  results  of  pollutions;  they  claim 
that  pollutions  invariably  lead  to  sexual  impo- 
tence, to  loss  of  memory,  to  mental  and  physical 
decay,  to  insanity.  On  the  other  hand,  some  doc- 
tors are  trying  unduly  to  minimize  the  bad  results 
of  pollutions.  Here  is  the  truth  of  the  matter: 
If  you  have  a pollution  once  a month,  once  in 
three  or  two  weeks  or  even  once  a week,  and  if 
you  do  not  feel  weak,  languid  or  debilitated  the 
following  day,  then  you  may  disregard  them. 
They  are  what  we  call  physiologic  or  normal  pol- 
lutions. The  seminal  vesicles  and  ampullae  be- 

63 


64 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


come  distended  with  semen,  and  it  must  find  a 
way  out.  But  if  the  pollutions  occur  more  than 
once  a week,  then  they  are  abnormal  or  pathologic 
and  you  must  lose  no  time  in  consulting  a repu- 
table physician.  You  must  do  this  even  if  you 
feel  good  and  buoyant  after,  for  there  is  danger 
of  a pollution  habit  being  established,  so  that  you 
may  have  pollutions  every  night  or  even  several 
times  a night.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  pollu- 
tions have  a distinctly  weakening  effect  on  you, 
you  must  also  consult  a physician,  and  that  re- 
gardless of  their  frequency.  That  is,  if  you  have 
pollutions  once  in  two  or  three  weeks,  but  if  you 
feel  distinctly  bad  after  them,  you  must  have  your- 
self treated  and  follow  the  doctor’s  advice. 

If  pollutions  are  neglected,  serious  symptoms 
may  result.  For  instance,  a patient  who  is  a se- 
vere sufferer  from  pollutions  may  complain  of 
headaches,  of  pains  in  the  back  of  the  head,  of 
weakness  in  the  muscles  of  the  neck  and  of  the 
spine,  of  a general  uncomfortable  -sensation  in  the 
perineal  region.  He  may  also  complain  of  mi- 
graine, or  spots  floating  before  his  eyes,  and  in 
some  cases  he  may  get  black  rings  around  the 
eyes.  His  tongue  is  generally  coated,  he  either 
has  no  appetite,  or  he  eats  voraciously,  he  is  con- 
stipated, though  occasionally  the  constipation  al- 


POLLUTIONS  OR  WET  DREAMS  65 


temates  with  diarrhea;  he  may  have  attacks  of 
nausea,  vomiting,  severe  heartburn.  The  diges- 
tive disorders  may  bring  about  a great  loss  of 
flesh.  He  may  be  unable  to  walk  upstairs  or  run 
after  a car  without  getting  out  of  breath,  and  pal- 
pitation of  the  heart  is  very  common;  this  palpi- 
tation may  occur  after  the  slightest  physical  ef- 
fort, after  stooping,  after  eating,  or  after  the 
slightest  mental  excitement,  or  after  each  seminal 
loss.  There  is  a general  feeling  of  languidness 
and  lassitude;  his  legs  feel  hot  and  heavy  in  the 
afternoon,  and  he  may  also  experience  neuralgic 
pains  in  the  testicles. 

But  serious  as  the  physical  symptoms  may  be, 
the  mental  symptoms  may  be  more  so.  The  most 
prominent  of  those  symptoms  is  a Lack  of  Con- 
centkation,  inability  to  work  steadily  and  contin- 
uously. A person  suffering  with  frequent  noctur- 
nal or  diurnal  pollutions  and  spermatorrhea  can 
seldom  hold  a good  position  requiring  steady  men- 
tal concentration  or  initiative.  He  may  work  in 
spurts  and  turn  out  good  work,  but  he  cannot  do 
it  steadily.  Every  once  in  a while  his  mind  be- 
comes a blank  and  he  is  then,  as  he  expresses  it, 
“good  for  nothing.” 

Another  striking  symptom  is  “Lack  of  Ambi- 
tion.” This  is  not  a fanciful  term,  but  expresses 


66 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


a true  state  of  affairs.  The  patient  does  not  care 
what  happens ; he  does  not  care  whether  he  is  suc- 
cessful or  not;  he  is  “over-satiated”  with  life. 
Another  distressing  symptom  is  Loss  of  Mem- 
ory. This  loss  of  memory  in  subjects  suffering 
with  excessive  seminal  losses,  from  whatever 
cause,  has  always  been  an  extremely  interesting 
subject  to  me.  It  shows,  as  nothing  else  can,  the 
intimate  relationship  between  the  brain  and  sex- 
ual organs.  The  excessive  drain  of  a vital  fluid 
cannot  hut  eventually  affect  the  brain.  And  it  is 
remarkable  that  as  soon  as  you  succeed  in  stop- 
ping the  pollutions  or  the  spermatorrhea,  the 
memory  returns. 

As  is  seen,  the  symptoms  caused  by  too  fre- 
quent pollutions  may  he  very  serious  indeed,  and 
those  who,  in  order  to  keep  young  men  “pure,” 
try  to  minimize  their  importance  are  just  as  dis- 
honest as  are  the  quacks  who  try  to  exaggerate 
their  evil  consequences.  Pollutions,  I repeat,  un- 
less comparatively  rare,  must  not  be  neglected. 
They  must  be  treated. 

The  treatment  is  both  medical  and  hygienic. 
The  medical  treatment  we  must  leave  to  the  phy- 
sician; the  hygienic  treatment  is  simple  and  con- 
sists in  avoiding  all  kinds  of  irritation : alcohol  in 
all  its  forms  must  be  avoided  absolutely,  coffee 


POLLUTIONS  OR  WET  DREAMS  67 


and  tea  are  also  best  cut  out.  Very  little  liquid 
should  be  used  in  the  evening,  and  the  bladder 
should  be  emptied  just  before  going  to  bed ; it  is 
well  to  establish  the  habit  to  get  up  in  the  middle 
of  the  night  to  urinate,  for  a full  bladder  is  a 
frequent  cause  of  pollutions.  Constipation  should 
also  be  guarded  against.  A full  rectum,  by  press- 
ing on  the  prostate  and  the  seminal  vesicles,  is 
apt  to  cause  an  emission.  It  is  therefore  well,  if 
there  is  any  constipation,  to  take  a small  enema 
(rectal  injection)  in  the  evening,  so  as  to  clean 
out  the  rectum.  The  mattress  on  which  you  sleep 
should  be  rather  hard,  and  you  should  learn  to 
sleep  on  the  side,  preferably  the  right  side.  Try 
not  to  sleep  on  the  back.  You  may  tie  a light 
towel  or  bandage  with  the  knot  in  the  middle  of 
the  back;  this  will  waken  you  if  you  happen  to 
turn  on  your  back.  The  covering  should  be  light, 
but  use  an  extra  coverlet  or  pillow  for  the  feet, 
for  the  feet  must  be  warm.  Cold  feet  are  not  in- 
frequently a cause  of  pollutions.  That  you  should 
avoid  all  mental  irritation  as  well  as  physical  irri- 
tation goes  without  saying.  It  would  be  useless 
for  you  to  treat  yourself  and  to  expect  to  get 
cured  of  your  pollutions,  if  at  the  same  time  you 
dally  or  fool  with  girls,  dance  the  modern  dances, 
read  obscene  or  exciting  literature,  witness  sala- 


68 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


cions  shows,  or  in  general  keep  your  thoughts  cen- 
tered  on  sexual  subjects. 

I do  not  want  you  to  go  away  with  wrong  im- 
pressions. I do  not  want  you  to  think  that  every 
case  of  pollutions  can  be  cured  by  medical  and 
hygienic  treatment.  But  the  vast  majority  can. 
In  those  cases  that  cannot,  we  must  advise  other 
measures.  In  certain  cases  we  are  obliged  to 
recommend  normal  sex  relations. 

Diurnal  Pollutions.  Pollutions  usually  oc- 
curring during  the  night  or  during  sleep  are  called 
nocturnal;  when  they  occur  during  the  day  or 
while  awake  they  are  called  diurnal.  Diurnal  pol- 
lutions occur  in  people  whose  sexual  organs  have 
been  weakened  by  excessive  masturbation  or  by 
too  frequent  night  pollutions.  When  they  occur 
they  must  be  treated  by  a skilful  specialist  with- 
out delay. 

Spermatorrhea  means  a running  of  semen. 
This  is  a condition  in  which  the  patient  constantly 
or  almost  constantly,  at  the  slightest  exertion  or 
excitement,  loses  a few  drops  of  semen;  in  some 
cases  there  is  almost  constant  oozing.  This  is  a 
very  g-rave  condition,  and  needs  very  skilful 
treatment,  but  fortunately  it  is  very  rare.  Many 
patients  are  frightened  to  death,  thinking  they  are 
losing  their  semen,  when  as  a matter  of  fact  they 


POLLUTIONS  OR  WET  DREAMS  69 


are  losing  some  prostatic  fluid  or  some  secretion 
from  the  urethral  glands ; in  other  words,  instead 
of  suffering  from  spermatorrhea,  they  are  suffer- 
ing from  prostatorrhea  or  urethrorrhea.  When  a 
person  loses  a few  drops  of  semen  while  straining 
at  stool,  we  call  it  defecation  spermatorrhea; 
when  the  semen  comes  out  at  the  end  of  micturi- 
tion it  is  called  micturition  spermatorrhea.  Both 
conditions  are  much  less  serious  than  true  sper- 
matorrhea, but  nevertheless  they  require  careful 
treatment. 


f 


Chapter  Nine 


SEXUAL  IMPOTENCE 

( Sexual  Weakness,  Sexual  Insufficiency) 

TO  be  sexually  potent;  that  is,  to  be  able  to 
perform  the  sexual  act  properly,  with  sat- 
isfaction to  the  man  and  woman,  several  factors 
are  necessary.  Those  on  the  part  of  the  man  are : 
(1)  A normal  sexual  desire,  what  we  call  a normal 
libido;  (2)  He  must  be  capable  of  having  a 
proper  erection;  (3)  The  culmination  of  the  act, 
what  we  call  the  orgasm  during  which  the  semen 
is  ejaculated,  must  not  take  place  too  soon;  that 
is,  the  man  must  be  able  to  perform  the  act  until 
the  female  partner  is  satisfied;  (4)  He  must  ex- 
perience a distinctly  pleasurable,  voluptuous  sen- 
sation during  the  act  and  during  the  orgasm. 
When  any  one  of  the  above  factors  is  weak  or 
lacking  altogether  the  man  is  said  to  be  sexually 
weak  or  impotent.  The  impotence  may  be  partial 
or  complete,  temporary  or  permanent.  Some- 
times only  one  factor  is  lacking,  sometimes  two 
or  three  or  all  four  may  be  at  fault. 

71 


72 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Here  are  the  principal  varieties  of  sexual  im- 
potence that  we  have  to  deal  with.  (1)  Lack  of 
libido.  The  patient  complains  that  he  has  no 
desire  for  women  and  doesn’t  care  at  all  for  sex- 
ual relations.  He  is  able  to  have  erections,  but 
when  he  does  have  intercourse,  the  act  affords  him 
no  pleasure.  (2)  The  same  as  the  first  variety, 
only  in  addition  to  the  lack  of  libido  he  is  unable 
to  have  any  erections.  (3)  Has  a normal  or  even 
strong  libido,  hut  is  unable  to  have  any  erections. 
(4)  Has  normal  libido,  normal  erections,  but  the 
ejaculations  are  premature  or  precipitate,  taking 
place  soon  or  immediately  after  or  even  before  in- 
tromission. (5)  The  patient  has  normal  libido, 
normal  erections,  normal  ejaculations  (though  as 
a rule  they  are  premature),  but  his  complaint  is 
that  he  derives  no  pleasure  from  the  act;  when  the 
discharge  of  the  semen  takes  place  he  has  no  sen- 
sation whatever.  In  some  cases,  the  matter  is 
even  worse,  for  instead  of  a simple  lack  of  sen- 
sation, there  is  a feeling  of  scalding  or  burning, 
during  the  passage  of  the  semen.  (6)  There  is 
libido  and  good  erection,  hut  the  ejaculation  takes 
abnormally  long,  until  he  and  his  partner  are  ex- 
hausted, or  the  ejaculation  fails  to  make  its  ap- 
pearance altogether.  (7)  The  man  has  no  libido, 
no  erection,  no  ejaculation,  and  if  by  various  ma- 


SEXUAL  IMPOTENCE 


73 


nipulations  a slight  ejaculation  is  effected,  it  af- 
fords no  pleasurable  sensation  whatever.  Sex 
does  not  exist  for  him. 

Those  are  the  seven  varieties  of  impotence,  but 
of  these  classes,  three  and  four  are  the  ones  that 
we  have  to  deal  with  most  frequently.  And  of  the 
two  classes,  class  four,  that  is,  premature  ejacula- 
tion or  emission  ( ejaculatio  praecox),  is  the  more 
common. 

We  generally  divide  impotence  into  two  classes : 
organic  and  psychic.  In  organic  impotence  we 
can  find  a plain  distinct  cause,  like  for  instance 
an  inflammation,  disease  of  the  testicles,  a dis- 
eased prostate,  etc.  In  psychic  impotence  the 
cause  often  lies  in  the  patient’s  mind;  he  is  really 
not  impotent,  but  he  fears  or  imagines  he  is.  In 
the  first  case  the  treatment  must  be  medical,  like 
that  of  any  other  real  disease;  in  the  second  va- 
riety mental  or  psychic  treatment  is  often  alone 
sufficient.  When  impotence  is  due  to  old  age  it  is 
called  senile;  senile  impotence  is  physiologic. 

THE  CAUSES  OF  IMPOTENCE 

Masturbation.  This  is  a very  common  cause, 
because,  as  I have  stated  before,  practically  every 
human  male  begins  his  sexual  life  with  masturba- 
tion. And  while  the  habit,  if  commenced  fairly  late 


74 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


and  practised  moderately,  in  the  majority  of  cases 
leaves  no  ill  effects,  there  is  no  question  that  if 
commenced  at  the  age  of  ten,  twelve  or  fourteen 
and  indulged  in  immoderately,  it  may  lead  to 
relative  or  complete  impotence,  temporary  or  per- 
manent. 

Pollutions.  Pollutions  of  rare  occurrence  or 
of  moderate  frequency  are  harmless.  But  if  fre- 
quent and  long  continued  they  may  ultimately  lead 
to  impotence. 

Prostatic  Congestion.  An  inflamed  or  con- 
gested prostate  is  often  the  cause  of  impotence, 
but  not  invariably  so. 

Urethral  Congestion.  Congestion  of  the  pros- 
tatic urethra  is  a frequent  and  well-established 
cause  of  sexual  impotence,  particularly  of  prema- 
ture ejaculations. 

Gonorrhea.  Gonorrhea  is  one  of  the  great 
causes  of  sexual  impotence,  ranging  probably  next 
to  masturbation  in  this  respect;  not,  however, 
gonorrhea,  by  itself,  directly,  but  by  its  sequelae. 
Just  as  by  its  causing  inflammation  of  the  epi- 
didymis and  testicles  it  is  one  of  the  principal  fac- 
tors of  sterility,  so  by  its  causing  congestion  of 
the  posterior  urethra,  prostatitis,  etc.,  it  is  one 
of  the  principal  factors  in  relative  sexual  impo- 
tence and  premature  ejaculations. 


SEXUAL  IMPOTENCE 


75 


Stricture.  This  sequel  of  gonorrhea  plays  a 
decided  role  in  causing  relative  sexual  impotence, 
that  is,  imperfect  erections  and  premature  ejacu- 
lations. 

Organic  Causes.  There  are  certain  organic 
conditions  of  the  penis  and  testes  which  render 
intercourse  either  physically  impossible  or  very 
difficult,  or  at  least  unsatisfactory.  Such,  for  in- 
stance, are : congenital  absence  of  the  penis  or  its 
loss  from  ulceration;  hypertrophy  of  the  penis,  its 
size  being  so  large  that  it  cannot  be  introduced 
into  any  vagina ; tumors ; torsion,  where  the  penis 
is  twisted  or  bent  in  a vicious  direction,  so  that 
intromission  is  difficult  or  impossible.  Epispa- 
dias, or  the  condition  in  which  the  urethra  opens 
on  the  upper  surface  of  the  penis,  and  hypospa- 
dias, where  the  opening  is  on  the  under  surface, 
are  usually,  but  not  necessarily,  accompanied  by 
impotence:  it  depends  a good  deal  on  the  extent 
and  the  location  of  the  defect. 

Abnormalities  of  the  Testes.  Complete  con- 
genital absence  of  the  testes  is  of  course  accom- 
panied by  lack  of  libido  and  lack  of  potency.  As 
a general  rule  this  is  also  true  of  crypt  orchids, 
where  both  testes  are  in  the  abdominal  cavity. 

Atrophy  of  the  Testes.  When  atrophy  of  the 
testes  is  caused  by  a general  constitutional  or  by 


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SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


local  disease,  or  by  masturbation  or  sexual  ex- 
cess, it  is  accompanied  by  loss  of  libido  and  by  im- 
potence. But  this  is  not  invariably  true  when 
the  testes  are  lost  through  accident  or  castration. 
As  a general  thing,  loss  of  the  testes  does  lead 
to  complete  impotence,  but  there  are  numerous 
exceptions.  And  the  usually  prevalent  opinion 
that  eunuchs  are  incapable  of  sexual  intercourse 
has  been  shown  to  be  erroneous.  Some  castrates 
are  very  powerful  in  this  respect. 

Hydrocele.  If  excessive,  this  may  become  a 
mechanical  cause  of  impotence. 

Hernia  or  Rupture.  A scrotal  hernia  may  be 
and  often  is  a mechanical  cause  of  impotence. 
The  penis  is  not  sufficiently  large  to  protrude,  so 
to  say,  above  the  scrotal  mass. 

Varicocele.  In  the  mind  of  the  laity,  the  rela- 
tionship between  varicocele  and  impotence  is  well 
established ; this  opinion  has  been  fostered  by  the 
quacks,  who  diagnose  varicocele,  whether  it  exists 
or  not,  and  who  advise  an  operation  for  this  af- 
fection as  a cure  for  all  ills  of  a sexual  nature. 
Where  the  varicocele,  however,  is  well  pronounced 
and  extreme,  it  may  be  the  cause  of  impotence, 
but  as  a rule  varicocele  is  not  of  much  importance. 

Diseases  of  the  Prostate  Gland.  Any  abnor- 
mality of  the  prostate,  such  as  hypertrophy,  pros- 


SEXUAL  IMPOTENCE 


77 


tatitis,  is  apt  to  lead  to  sexual  impotence.  In 
prostatitis,  the  same  as  in  prostatic  congestion, 
mentioned  at  the  beginning  of  the  chapter,  it  is 
usually  temporary,  and  relief  of  the  prostatic  con- 
dition removes  the  impotence.  It  is  well  to  bear 
in  mind  that  in  prostatic  trouble,  diminished  sex- 
ual power  or  premature  ejaculation  may  exist 
simultaneously  with  an  increased  sexual  desire. 

Phimosis  and  preputial  calculi  may  be  serious 
hindrances  to  the  proper  performance  of  the  sex- 
ual act.  They  are  a frequent  cause  of  prema- 
ture ejaculations.  I mentioned  preputial  calculi. 
Sometimes  it  is  not  calculi,  hut  just  dirt,  and  the 
amount  of  it  under  some  foreskins  is  simply  in- 
credible. 

Age.  This  is,  of  course,  a very  important  fac- 
tor, for  all  men  become  impotent  if  they  only  live 
long  enough.  But  if  we  attempt  to  answer  the 
question,  at  what  age  men  become  impotent,  at 
what  age  is  impotence  physiologic,  normal,  we  find 
we  cannot  do  so;  for  in  the  sexual  sphere  more, 
perhaps,  than  anywhere  else,  is  each  man  a law 
unto  himself. 

In  many  men  the  sexual  power  begins  to  decline 
at  the  age  of  forty  and  becomes  extinguished  at 
the  age  of  fifty.  Many  men  are  just  as  powerful 
at  fifty  and  fifty-five  as  they  were  at  thirty,  while 


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SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


not  an  insignificant  percentage  remain  perfectly 
potent  and  ardent  at  the  age  of  sixty-five,  seventy- 
five  and  later. 

Sexual  Excess.  Sexual  excess  may,  per  se,  be 
a cause  of  impotence.  Every  physician  who  has 
sexual  diseases  to  treat  can  testify  to  that.  For- 
tunately in  almost  all  such  cases  the  impotence 
is  only  temporary,  though  the  former  vigor  may 
never  he  regained.  As  a rule  complete  sexual 
rest,  with  proper  tonic  treatment,  brings  about 
the  desired  result.  But  while  this  is  true  of 
adults,  it  is  not  true  when  the  victims  of  sexual 
excess  are  boys.  In  them  the  impotence  may  be- 
come permanent.  I know  of  cases  of  very  young 
boys  (eight,  ten,  twelve,  and  fourteen)  who  had 
been  seduced  by  vicious  servant  maids  and  nurses 
and  forced  to  perform  the  act  the  best  way  they 
could  several  times  a day.  Some  of  these  victims 
never  recovered,  remaining  impotent  for  life. 

Nothing  injures  the  sexual  apparatus  so  much 
as  its  premature  abuse.  The  excess  that  will  in 
the  adult  cause  but  little  or  only  temporary  dam- 
age will  in  boys  cause  terrible  and  sometimes  per- 
manent havoc. 

Sexual  Abstinence.  I am  firmly  convinced 
that  continued  abstinence  from  any  sexual  grati- 


SEXUAL  IMPOTENCE 


79 


fication  may  result  in  partial  or  complete,  tem- 
porary or  permanent  impotence. 

Nature  does  not  allow  us  to  trifle  with  her.  She 
does  not  permit  any  organ  to  remain  inactive,  any 
function  to  lie  fallow  for  years  without  meting 
out  punishment;  the  organs  may  atrophy  more  or 
less,  hut  even  when  this  is  not  the  case,  the  func- 
tion is  weakened  or  destroyed. 

Coitus  Interruptus.  The  abominable  practise 
of  “ withdrawal,”  or  interrupting  coitus  just  when 
an  ejaculation  is  about  to  take  place  and  when 
both  parties  are  at  the  highest  point  of  tension, 
is  one  of  the  poisonous  fruits  of  human  civili- 
zation. It  is  responsible  for  numberless  cases  of 
melancholia  and  neurasthenia  and  is  an  un- 
doubted cause  of  impotence. 

Certain  drugs,  such  as  opium  and  morphine,  co- 
caine, tobacco,  potassium  nitrate  (saltpeter),  have 
an  injurious  effect  on  a man’s  sexual  vigor. 
Obesity  or  excessive  fatness  is  as  a rule  quite 
injurious ; so  is  alcoholism,  that  is,  a chronic  exces- 
sive consumption  of  alcohol  in  all  forms.  Among 
other  causes  I will  mention  the  following : 

Worry.  I consider  this  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant factors  in  sexual  impotence.  That  great  and 
continuous  worry  will  diminish  or  abolish  one’s 
sexual  desire  more  than  anything  else  will,  is  a 


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SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


well-known  fact.  It  is  not  so  well  known,  how- 
ever, that  it  may  also  induce  relative  or  complete 
impotence,  and  what  is  more,  the  impotence  may 
be  permanent.  In  most  cases,  however,  it  passes 
away  gradually,  after  the  cause  has  disappeared. 
But  it  may  require  many  attempts,  considerable 
sexual  education,  before  the  potency  is  brought 
back  to  its  former  condition. 

Fright.  Severe  fright  sometimes  acts  as  a 
cause  of  temporary  impotence,  hut  only  fright 
having  some  connection  with  the  sexual  act.  We 
know  of  an  instance  where  a man  was  interrupted 
in  the  act  by  the  husband  of  the  woman  and  sev- 
eral detectives  who  broke  in  the  door,  and  he  was 
practically  impotent  for  nearly  a year.  Each  time 
when  on  the  point  of  performing  the  act  the  fate- 
ful night  would  come  to  his  mind  and  the  partial 
erection  would  promptly  subside. 

Intellectual  Pursuits.  Nature  resents  burn- 
ing the  candle  at  both  ends,  and  it  is  very  rare  that 
people  who  devote  all  their  time  to  severe  intel- 
lectual work  do  not  pay  for  it  by  sexual  weakness 
or  impotence.  This  refers  to  purely  intellectual 
work — mathematics,  science,  research,  philoso- 
phy, and  so  on.  Particularly  is  it  apt  to  attack 
those  who  are  engrossed  body  and  soul  in  cer- 
tain ‘ ‘ problems.  ’ ’ A medical  investigator  told  me 


SEXUAL  IMPOTENCE 


81 


that,  while  interested  in  a certain  question  which 
took  away  every  minute  of  his  spare  time,  he  lost 
both  desire  and  ability  for  over  eighteen  months. 
Pursuits  that  belong  to  the  arts — poetry,  the  dra- 
matic art,  sculpture,  painting,  and  so  on — have  a 
rather  opposite  effect;  they  increase  the  sexual 
desire  and  perhaps  also  the  sexual  power. 

Intense  Desire  is  very  frequently  the  cause  of 
premature  ejaculation.  This  intense  libido  is 
often  manifested  on  the  wedding  night,  when  the 
couple  have  been  long  engaged.  A word  may  be 
said  here  about  long  engagements  as  a causative 
factor  in  impotence.  They  are  not  only  injurious, 
as  being  apt  to  cause  intense  libido — which  is  only 
a temporary  trouble — but  they  may  result  in  more 
or  less  permanent  impotence,  by  virtue  of  the  se- 
vere prostatic  and  posterior  urethral  congestion 
which  they  may  cause. 

I have  considered  rather  in  detail  the  causes 
of  impotence.  For  a knowledge  of  the  causes  will 
help  you  to  guard  against  the  disease.  Avoid  if 
you  can  all  the  troubles  which  are  apt  to  lead  to 
impotence,  and  you  will  avoid  the  condition  which 
is  responsible  for  so  much  unhappiness,  and  for 
so  many  disrupted  homes. 

Another  point.  Knowing  the  numerous  causes 
which  may  be  responsible  for  impotence,  you  will 


82 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


understand  the  utter  absurdity  and  dishonesty  of 
the  quacks  who  promise  to  cure  you  by  some  pills 
or  capsules  or  some  one  kind  of  treatment.  Any 
physician  or  quack  who  promises  to  cure  you  of 
impotence  at  long  distance,  without  having  exam- 
ined you,  without  knowing  your  exact  condition, 
is  a knave,  who  is  after  your  money.  Shun  those 
harpies. 

The  treatment  of  sexual  impotence  is  exceed- 
ingly complex,  exceedingly  delicate,  and  requires 
a competent  and  experienced  physician’s  best 
skill  and  best  judgment.  We  must  confess  that 
even  the  average  general  practitioner  is  not  very 
successful  in  the  treatment  of  the  more  severe  va- 
rieties of  impotence.  This  being  so,  how  can  you 
expect  to  be  cured  by  an  ignorant  advertising 
quack,  or  by  some  mail  treatment? 


Chapter  Ten 


SEXUAL  NEURASTHENIA 

SEXUAL  neurasthenia  is  one  of  the  most  prev- 
alent of  diseases  and  the  number  of  sexual 
neurasthenics  is  constantly  increasing.  Its  mani- 
festations are  truly  protean  in  character  and  there 
is  hardly  a single  organ  in  the  body  that,  in  the 
sexual  neurasthenic,  may  not  show  some  pro- 
nounced symptoms  of  disease.  And  not  only  the 
patient’s  body,  his  psyche,  his  spirit  is  deeply  af- 
fected. It  is  a condition  of  general  bodily  and 
nervous  exhaustion  resting  on  a sexual  basis. 

CAUSES  OF  SEXUAL  NEURASTHENIA 

The  causes  of  sexual  neurasthenia  may  be 
briefly  stated  to  he  as  follows:  First: — Abuse 

and  disease  of  the  sexual  organs.  Second: — Our 
civilization.  Third : — Heredity. 

Under  the  first  rubric  we  include  in  the  order 
of  their  importance : masturbation,  pollutions  and 
spermatorrhea,  coitus  interruptus,  continence, 
gonorrhea  with  its  various  complications,  espe- 

83 


84 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


dally  posterior  urethritis  and  prostatitis,  and 
last  and  least,  sexual  excess. 

Second.  By  the  term  civilization  I understand 
both  those  agencies  which  exhaust  and  drain  the 
nervous  system  and  those  which  prematurely 
awaken  and  constantly  stimulate  and  irritate  the 
sexual  instinct.  The  early  school  age,  the  ex- 
cessive studies,  the  frequently  recurring  examina- 
tions (these  are  particularly  injurious),  the  long 
hours  at  factory  or  shop,  the  struggle  for  bread, 
the  still  worse  nerve-wrecking  struggle  for  a ca- 
reer, the  constant  striving  after  money  and  more 
money  or  after  fame,  our  poetry  and  novels,  our 
theaters  and  vaudeville  shows,  the  paint,  pow- 
der and  suggestive  dressing  of  our  respectable 
women,  the  solicitations  of  our  non-respectable 
street-women,  bad  school  companions  and  vicious 
acquaintances  of  both  sexes — all  these  are  factors 
which  prepare  a sexually  neurasthenic  soil. 

But  more  important  than  any  of  the  causes  enu- 
merated above  is  our  moral-religious  code  con- 
cerning the  sex  instinct,  which  surrounds  every 
sex  manifestation  with  secrecy,  and  surrounds  the 
satisfaction  of  the  instinct  outside  of  wedlock 
with  great  and  humiliating  difficulties.  The  re- 
pression of  every  sex  manifestation  is  one  of  the 
greatest  causes  of  sexual  neurasthenia. 


SEXUAL  NEURASTHENIA 


85 


As  to  heredity,  I do  not  ascribe  to  it  any  great 
importance.  Heredity  as  a factor  in  disease  has 
been  greatly  exaggerated.  It  may  be  admitted, 
however,  that  children  of  neurotic  and  otherwise 
tainted  parents  are  more  apt  to  fall  victims  to  va- 
rious sexual  irregularities,  which  may  lead  to 
sexual  neurasthenia,  and  that  on  the  other  hand 
injuries  which  would  have  but  little  effect  on  de- 
scendants of  healthy  stock,  may  bring  irreparable 
disaster  to  nature’s  unstable  step-children. 

Sexual  neurasthenia  may  be  divided  into  three 
stages.  In  the  first  stage  the  genito-urinary  or- 
gans are  locally  affected,  and  we  have  the  various 
disturbances  of  coition  and  urination  and  pains 
in  and  around  the  genital  organs.  In  the  second 
stage  the  neurosis  has  extended  to  the  spinal 
cord  and  the  patient  complains  of  various  symp- 
toms pointing  to  spinal  irritation.  In  the  third 
stage  we  have  a general  neurasthenia.  The  symp- 
toms of  these  various  stages  are  generally  inter- 
woven, and  those  of  the  so-called  second  or  third 
stage  may  make  their  appearance  before  those  of 
the  first. 

SYMPTOMS  OP  SEXUAL  NEURASTHENIA 

The  symptoms  of  sexual  neurasthenia  are  ex- 
ceedingly numerous.  They  may  be  divided  into : 


86 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Sexual,  urinary,  sensory,  circulatory,  digestive, 
and  psychic. 

Sexual  Symptoms.  Disturbances  of  the  sexual 
system  form,  of  course,  a prominent  feature  of 
sexual  neurasthenia.  The  patient  tells  us  he  is  im- 
potent and  his  organs  have  shrunk  away.  When 
we  tell  him  to  undress,  we  find  in  reality  the  penis 
very  small,  retracted,  sometimes  so  completely 
“drawn  in”  as  to  be  hardly  visible,  cold,  livid  and 
hard.  The  testicles  are  either  normal  in  size  or  in 
extreme  cases,  especially  where  the  neurasthenia 
is  the  result  of  excessive  masturbation,  considera- 
bly reduced.  They  are  generally  very  sensitive  to 
the  touch,  sometimes  to  such  a degree  that  the  gen- 
tle grasping  of  them  between  the  fingers  will  make 
the  patient  deathly  pale,  his  face  will  be  covered 
with  cold  perspiration  and  he  is  ready  to  faint, 
and  sometimes  does  faint. 

Pollutions  are  frequent,  and  are  generally 
atonic;  in  the  further  progress  of  the  disease  they 
become  diurnal,  and  may  in  rare  instances  be  ac- 
companied by  spermatorrhea.  Impotence  is  either 
absolute,  the  patient  being  unable  to  get  any  erec- 
tion, or  he  has  feeble  imperfect  erections,  which 
subside  quickly.  The  ejaculation  is  in  the  vast 
majority  of  cases  premature,  generally  taking 
place  even  before  intromission.  A peculiar 


SEXUAL  NEURASTHENIA 


87 


symptom  the  patients  complain  of  is  a burning, 
scalding  sensation  during  ejaculation.  The  pleas- 
urable voluptuous  sensation  which  the  normal 
man  experiences  during  the  passage  of  the  semen 
is  in  them  completely  absent  and  the  burning, 
scalding  feeling  combined  with  subsequent  de- 
pression renders  the  act  of  coitus  a very  unpleas- 
ant function. 

Masturbation,  severe  and  uncontrollable,  is 
often  complained  of.  It  may  seem  strange  that 
masturbation  which  we  gave  as  one  of  the  causes 
of  neurasthenia  should  here  be  considered  as  one 
of  the  symptoms  or  results  of  it.  But  there  is 
nothing  incongruous  in  this.  In  many  diseases, 
and  in  sexual  disorders  par  excellence,  a vicious 
circle  is  generally  established  and  the  original 
cause  becomes  but  one  link  in  the  chain  of  symp- 
toms. Masturbation  is  one  of  the  principal  causes 
of  sexual  neurasthenia;  but  after  masturbation 
has  succeeded  in  bringing  about  the  neurasthenia, 
the  patient’s  will  is  weakened,  and  he  may  become 
a helpless  slave  to  the  habit. 

On  some  neurasthenics  the  effect  of  intercourse 
is  very  profound.  It  leaves  them  for  a day,  for 
several  days,  and  sometimes  several  weeks,  com- 
pletely exhausted,  both  mentally  and  physically. 
Their  brain  is  fagged  out,  they  cannot  concen- 


88 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


trate  on  anything,  their  legs  are  weak,  they  fa- 
tigue quickly  on  walking,  and  suffer  with  severe 
cardiac  palpitation. 

Besides  the  functional  disturbances  in  the  sex- 
ual act,  there  are  numerous  symptoms  which  are 
very  annoying  to  the  patient  and  very  trying  to 
the  physician.  The  skin  of  the  penis  and  of  the 
scrotum  is  hypersensitive  and  the  patient  often 
complains  of  various  sticking  or  neuralgic  pains. 
There  is  generally  extreme  sensitiveness  to  cold. 
Pains  in  the  testicles  are  frequent  as  well  as  in  the 
prostate.  Sometimes  the  pains  are  only  shooting 
and  last  hut  a second,  at  other  times  they  are  very 
persistent  and  may  extend  to  the  prostate,  kid- 
neys, legs  and  even  feet.  In  some  cases  there  is 
very  severe  itching  about  the  genitals,  the  most 
careful  examination  failing  to  elicit  any  basis  for 
this  pruritus.  Sometimes  instead  of  the  genitals 
the  itching  is  confined  to  the  anus. 

Urinary  Symptoms.  The  act  of  urination  is 
very  much  disturbed.  The  patients  urinate  very 
frequently,  particularly  in  the  daytime.  They 
may  have  to  get  up  nights,  hut  that  only  in  ex- 
treme cases.  As  a rule  they  sleep  through  the 
night  very  well  and  this  is  one  of  the  character- 
istic symptoms  of  the  frequency  of  micturition 
in  neurasthenics,  which  distinguishes  it  from  fre- 


SEXUAL  NEURASTHENIA 


89 


quency  of  micturition  in  other  disorders,  such  as 
hypertrophy  of  the  prostate.  The  frequency  of 
urination  is  sometimes  very  great.  Some  patients 
have  to  urinate  every  hour,  some  every  ten  or 
twenty  minutes.  There  is  a little  dribbling  of  the 
urine  after  each  act  and  the  patient  does  not  feel 
fully  relieved.  They  always  feel  as  if  there  were 
some  urine  in  the  bladder  which  they  are  unable  to 
void.  The  urine  itself  undergoes  considerable 
changes.  In  the  early  stages  the  patient  as  a rule 
passes  very  large  amounts  of  urine,  of  a pale 
color  and  a very  low  specific  gravity.  Later  on, 
however,  the  urine  diminishes  in  amount  and  may 
even  become  much  less  than  normal,  of  a dark 
color  and  high  specific  gravity. 

Pains  and  Aches.  Pains  and  aches  in  the  spine 
and  in  the  back  are  among  the  most  frequent,  one 
might  say  the  most  frequent,  and  most  annoying 
symptoms  of  the  neurasthenic.  Usually  it  is  not 
a pain,  but  just  a constant  dull  ache  in  the  small 
of  the  back  or  the  middle  of  the  spine,  which  is  so 
exasperating  that  many  patients  say  that  they 
would  gladly  exchange  it  for  an  acute  pain.  The 
patient  feels  like  rubbing  his  back  against  a door- 
post, or  a bedstead,  or  any  other  hard  object  and 
feels  greatly  relieved  after  a rough  kneading  or 
slapping  or  massaging  of  the  back,  or  applying 


90 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


a counter-irritant  to  the  aching  region.  Some- 
times the  pain  is  limited  to  one  side,  in  the  kid- 
ney region,  and  may  simulate  renal  colic  so 
closely  as  to  bring  the  patient  near  the  operating 
table. 

Circulatory  Symptoms.  Among  the  symptoms 
on  the  part  of  the  circulatory  system  the  most  fre- 
quent is  palpitation  of  the  heart.  The  least  ex- 
citement or  muscular  effort  is  apt  to  cause  it.  In 
the  night  time  if  the  patient  wakes  with  a start, 
which  he  often  does,  the  heart  will  beat  very  tu- 
multuously. The  pulse  is  frequent,  often  over  100 
per  minute,  small,  occasionally  intermittent. 

On  account  of  the  poor  and  irregular  circula- 
tion, the  patient’s  feet  are  often  cold  and  clammy, 
so  that  he  must  sleep  with  his  stockings  on,  even 
in  fairly  warm  weather.  His  hands  may  also  be 
cold  and  clammy  and  perspire  readily.  The  blush- 
ing at  the  least  provocation,  and  the  frequent 
congestion  of  the  head,  also  find  their  explanation 
in  the  disturbance  of  the  circulation  and  of  the 
nervous  system. 

Digestive  Symptoms.  The  digestive  disorders 
occupy  a prominent  place.  The  appetite  may 
vary  from  very  good  to  very  poor.  Symptoms  of 
dyspepsia  are  seldom  absent:  coated  tongue, 
heavy  breath,  heartburn,  which  may  be  extreme, 


SEXUAL  NEURASTHENIA 


91 


the  patient  declaring  that  he  feels  as  if  he  had  a 
burning  coal  in  his  stomach,  constipation,  rarely 
diarrhea,  belching  of  gas. 

The  Special  Sehses.  To  the  symptoms  of  the 
special  senses  we  will  refer  briefly.  The  eyes  are 
easily  fatigued,  and  the  patients  frequently  suffer 
with  eyestrain.  Floating  specks  before  the  eyes 
is  not  an  infrequent  symptom,  extremely  annoying 
to  the  patient.  The  patients  are  extremely  sen- 
sitive to  noise.  The  tooting  of  automobile  horns, 
the  noise  of  vehicles,  loud  music,  the  chimes  of 
church  bells  are  a veritable  torture  to  them. 

Work.  In  the  extreme  stages  of  neurasthenia 
the  patient  can  do  no  work,  either  mental  or  phys- 
ical. He  cannot  force  himself  to  do  any  original 
mental  work,  it  is  an  utter  impossibility  for  him ; 
and  when  he  does  force  himself  to  do  some  rou- 
tine mental  or  physical  work,  he  gives  out  very 
quickly,  and  has  to  rest  or  lie  down.  In  the  earlier 
stages,  he  may  be  able  to  do  very  good  and  very 
intense  work,  hut  only  by  spurts.  He  cannot  do 
anything  steadily,  calmly,  placidly.  He  is  not  a 
plodder,  and  he  cannot  work  systematically. 

The  Mood.  The  mood  of  the  sexual  neuras- 
thenic is  extremely  variable.  The  least  pleasant 
occurrence  or  expectation  lifts  him  up  to  the  skies, 
the  least  unpleasantness  throws  him  into  the  abyss 


92 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


of  despond.  But  most  of  the  time  he  is  afraid  of 
something.  If  you  ask  him  to  analyze  his  fears, 
to  tell  you  himself  what  exactly  he  is  afraid  of, 
he  is  unable  to  do  it,  but  still  he  is  afraid  that 
something  bad  is  going  to  happen  to  him.  He  is 
either  going  to  lose  his  business  or  his  position, 
his  rival  is  going  to  get  ahead  of  him,  or  some  mis- 
fortune is  going  to  happen  to  a member  of  his 
family,  or  the  house  is  going  to  be  burglarized,  or 
he  is  going  to  be  arrested,  etc.  Sometimes  the 
fear  is  vague  and  has  no  object,  the  patient  is  just 
depressed  and  afraid,  and  for  this  reason  he 
avoids  people  in  general.  If  the  neurasthenic  is 
not  far  gone,  then  a misfortune,  an  attack,  a 
shock,  or  some  great  emergency  may  stir  him  to 
action,  may  awaken  the  rest  of  his  dormant  pow- 
ers, and  he  may  for  a time  surprise  his  friends 
by  his  unwonted  strenuous  activity.  But  unless 
he  is  at  the  same  time  subjecting  himself  to  the 
proper  treatment,  he  generally  relapses  into  a con- 
dition of  exhaustion,  which  is  worse  than  the  con- 
dition he  was  in  previously. 

One  of  the  forms  the  fear  is  taking  is  the  fear 
of  disease,  i.e.,  the  fear  of  getting  sick.  It  is 
either  the  fear  of  typhoid,  of  heart  disease,  of 
Bright’s  disease,  etc.,  but  most  generally  it  is  the 
fear  of  locomotor  ataxia  or  general  paresis.  This 


SEXUAL  NEURASTHENIA 


93 


is  particularly  the  case  with  our  semicultured  who 
have  read  a lot  of  quack  literature,  or  who  have 
heard  from  their  friends  with  little  knowledge 
that  those  diseases  were  the  result  of  youthful 
indiscretions.  How  many  times  have  I heard  the 
question:  “ Doctor,  have  I locomotor  ataxia?” 

addressed  to  me  by  people  with  whom  there  was 
nothing  the  matter  organically,  and  who  did  not 
present  a single  ataxic  symptom.  They  feel  like 
newborn,  or  as  if  a heavy  load  had  been  lifted 
from  their  brain,  when  they  are  assured  and  when 
it  is  proved  to  them  that  their  fear  is  utterly 
groundless. 

The  neurasthenic  has  often  hypochondriac 
ideas,  but  he  is  not  a true  hypochondriac.  A true 
hypochondriac  complains  of  ills  and  diseases  for 
which  there  is  no  foundation,  of  which  he  has  not 
a trace.  The  neurasthenic  generally  has  grounds 
for  his  complaints,  only  he  exaggerates  his  trou- 
bles ; he  magnifies  a mild  symptom  into  a terrible 
one ; a slight  disorder  becomes  a very  painful  one 
to  him.  Perhaps  his  sensitiveness  is  so  increased 
that  what  seems  to  us  insignificant  does  cause 
him  severe  pain.  For  we  must  bear  in  mind  that 
the  neurasthenic  is  generally  hyperesthetic  and 
his  power  of  resistance  is  greatly  lessened. 

Phobias.  The  extreme  cases  of  sexual  neuras- 


94 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


thenia  may  develop  various  phobias — fears  of 
crossing  the  street,  fear  of  being  in  a crowd, 
of  being  in  a theater,  of  looking  down  from  a 
great  height,  etc. 

Note. — I have  dealt  with,  the  subject  of  neurasthenia  rather  in 
detail,  because  this  disease  is  spreading  very  rapidly  in  every  civ- 
ilized community,  and  its  importance  deserves  the  most  careful 
consideration  on  the  part  of  the  medical  profession  and  the  intel- 
ligent laity. 


Chapter  Eleven- 


STERILITY 

STERILITY  or  barrenness  is  inability  to  have 
or  rather  to  beget  children.  The  fault  may 
lie  with  the  man  or  the  woman  or  both.  In  former 
times  when  woman  was  the  scapegoat  for  every- 
thing, she  was  always  blamed  when  a marriage 
proved  childless.  Now  we  know  that  in  very  many 
cases  it  is  the  man  and  not  the  woman  who  is  to 
blame. 

For  a man  to  be  fertile  he  must  have  normal 
semen  and  he  must  be  able  to  bring  the  semen 
out.  Any  disease  which  will  affect  the  testicles, 
so  that  the  semen  is  not  of  the  proper  quality,  or 
any  disease  which  will  obstruct  the  seminal  ducts 
(the  vasa  defer entia)  so  that  the  semen  cannot 
come  to  the  surface  will  produce  sterility  in  the 
man.  If  a man  has  no  testicles,  or  if  he  is  a cryp- 
torchid,  that  is,  his  testicles  are  hidden  in  the  ab- 
dominal cavity,  or  if  they  have  been  removed  by 
an  operation,  or  destroyed  by  some  crushing  in- 
jury or  syphilis,  the  man  will  be  sterile.  A cause 

95 


96 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


of  sterility  which  must  be  mentioned  is  mumps. 
Mumps  or  parotitis  is  an  inflammation  of  the 
parotid  gland  (situated  near  the  ear).  The  paro- 
tid gland  has  a peculiar  mysterious  connection 
with  the  sexual  organs;  and  in  mumps  the  tes- 
ticles often  swell  up  and  become  inflamed,  and 
one  who  has  had  mumps  in  childhood  is  often 
found  sterile  when  he  grows  up  to  manhood. 

The  obstruction  in  the  epididymis  or  vas  defer- 
ens, which  clogs  up  the  passageway  {lumen)  and 
prevents  the  semen  from  coming  out,  is  most  com- 
monly caused  by  gonorrhea,  and  gonorrhea  may 
be  considered  the  principal  cause  of  sterility  in 
man  (as  well  as  in  woman).  In  certain  cases  the 
testicles  seem  to  be  perfectly  normal,  and  still 
they  do  not  manufacture  any  semen.  Such  a con- 
dition of  absence  of  semen  is  called  aspermia  or 
aspermatism;  sometimes  semen  is  manufactured 
but  it  does  not  contain  any  spermatozoa;  such  a 
condition  is  called  azoospermia;  where  very  few 
spermatozoa  are  present  in  the  semen,  the  condi- 
tion is  called  oligospermia  (oligos  in  Greek — 
few) ; where  spermatozoa  are  present,  but  have  no 
life,  no  movement  in  them,  we  call  the  condition 
necrospermia  ( necros — dead).  A diseased  pros- 
tate or  diseased  seminal  vesicles  may  also  be  a 
cause  of  sterility.  The  secretion  of  the  prostate, 


STERILITY 


97 


as  mentioned  before,  seems  to  be  an  essential  part 
of  the  semen,  necessary  to  tbe  motility  of  the  sper- 
matozoa; and  when  that  is  lacking,  if  the  pros- 
tatic secretion  is  full  of  pus,  the  spermatozoa  are 
injuriously  affected.  The  same  with  the  seminal 
vesicles.  A very  tight  stricture  may  be  the  cause 
of  sterility,  because  it  prevents  the  semen  from 
coming  out  through  the  urethral  canal ; the  semen 
may  run  backward  into  the  bladder. 

There  are  several  other  conditions  which  may 
cause  male  sterility,  but  they  are  rare  and  unim- 
portant. Those  that  I have  enumerated  are  the 
most  frequent  and  most  important  ones. 

Many  cases  of  sterility  can  be  cured,  but  some 
are  incurable.  It  stands  to  reason,  for  instance, 
that  if  a man’s  testicles  have  been  destroyed  or 
removed,  or  if  he  was  born  without  any,  that 
nothing  can  be  done  for  him.  But  in  cases  of  in- 
flammation or  obstruction  very  much  can  be  ac- 
complished. But  of  course  it  requires  an  expert 
— quacks  can  do  nothing  in  such  cases. 

The  causes  of  sterility  in  the  female  will  be  con- 
sidered in  the  author’s  “Sex  Knowledge  for 
Women.”  But  it  is  important  to  emphasize  here 
that  many  cases  of  sterility  for  which  the  woman 
is  blamed  and  treated  are  due  to  the  man’s  and 
not  the  woman’s  fault. 


Chapter  Twelve 


THE  VENEREAL  DISEASES 

THE  venereal  or  sexual  diseases,  so  called  be- 
cause usually,  though  not  always,  con- 
tracted during  sexual  intercourse,  are  three  in 
in  number:  Gonorrhea,  syphilis  and  chancroid. 

Gonorrhea  is  the  most  common,  most  frequent  of 
the  three,  syphilis  the  most  terrible.  In  compari- 
son with  the  other  two,  chancroid  is  not  of  much 
importance.  Gonorrhea  and  syphilis  are  among 
humanity’s  greatest  scourges.  Humanity  would 
have  a different  aspect,  there  would  be  much  less 
ill-health,  much  less  deformity,  much  less  blind- 
ness, much  less  insanity,  and  in  general  much  less 
unhappiness  if  these  two  diseases  had  never  ex- 
isted, and  I confidently  hope,  in  fact  I am  sure, 
that  the  time  will  come  when  they  will  cease  to 
plague  humanity  and  will  completely  disappear 
from  the  face  of  the  earth. 

The  venereal  diseases  are  terrible  as  they  are, 
without  any  exaggerations.  But  it  seems  that 
some  people  cannot  speak  of  an  evil  without  pic- 

99 


100  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


taring  it  in  too  lurid  colors.  In  the  perfectly  laud- 
able and  commendable  desire  to  save  the  young 
men  of  the  nation  from  the  venereal  peril,  they 
make  statements  which  must  be  characterized  as 
exaggerations.  For  instance,  you  will  hear  it  said 
that  80  or  90  per  cent,  of  all  young  men  become 
infected  wTith  gonorrhea;  that  25  or  50  per  cent, 
suffer  from  syphilis;  that  all  prostitutes  or  loose 
women  suffer  with  gonorrhea  or  syphilis  or  both. 
You  will  further  hear  or  read  that  gonorrhea  is 
an  incurable  disease;  once  a gonorrhea,  always  a 
gonorrhea.  And  you  are  sure  to  come  across  the 
statement  that  60  per  cent,  of  all  married  women 
have  gonorrhea  and  that  anywhere  from  60  to  90 
per  cent,  of  all  operations  on  women  are  due  to 
gonorrhea  contracted  from  the  husband.  None 
of  the  above  statements  is  true : they  are  all  wild 
exaggerations.  Only  about  20  or  25  per  cent,  of 
men  contract  gonorrhea,  only  from  2 to  5 per  cent, 
suffer  with  syphilis,  many  thousands  of  prosti- 
tutes or  loose  women  go  through  life  without  con- 
tracting a venereal  disease,  gonorrhea  can  be  per- 
fectly cured,  and  if  treated  properly  from  the 
very  start,  cured  in  a very  short  time,  and  only  a 
very  small  per  cent,  of  married  women  (probably 
not  more  than  two  or  three  per  cent.)  contract  ve- 
nereal disease  from  their  husbands. 


THE  VENEREAL  DISEASES 


101 


But  granting  all  this,  venereal  disease  is  a suffi- 
ciently terrible  calamity  to  make  it  incumbent 
upon  yon  to  do  everything  in  your  power  to  escape 
it.  If  yon  contract  gonorrhea  or  syphilis,  it  will 
make  little  difference  to  you  whether  fifty  per 
cent,  of  all  men  have  the  disease  or  only  five  per 
cent.  You  will  be  wretched  and  miserable,  your 
entire  future  may  be  ruined,  and  you  may  have  to 
curse  the  day  you  were  born.  You  must  do  every- 
thing possible  to  escape  a venereal  disease:  no 
sacrifice  is  too  great  for  that.  As  most  cases  of 
venereal  disease  are  contracted  during  sexual  in- 
tercourse, the  principal  prevention  or  prophylaxis 
consists  in  not  having  intercourse  with  any  woman 
whom  you  do  not  know  to  be  free  from  disease. 
Merely  hoping  or  guessing  that  she  is  free  will  not 
do : you  run  a chance,  and  it  is  too  late  to  regret 
after  you  have  caught  the  disease. 

But  if  your  sexual  desire  is  too  strong,  if  it  is 
irresistible  (or  you  think  it  is)  and  if  circum- 
stances are  such  that  you  must  have  relations  with 
a woman  of  whose  freedom  from  disease  you  are 
not  absolutely  sure,  then  you  must  use  a venereal 
prophylactic.  That  venereal  prophylactics  prop- 
erly and  carefully  used  do  prevent  the  contracting 
of  venereal  disease,  there  is  now  no  question. 
They  have  been  introduced  in  many  armies  and 


102  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOK  MEN 


navies  and  have  greatly  diminished  the  percent- 
age of  venereal  disease.  And  it  would  he  a good 
thing  if  every  young  man  were,  as  a part  of  his 
course  in  sex  hygiene,  instructed  in  the  proper  use 
of  venereal  prophylactics.  As  I recognize  that  it 
is  impossible  for  some  young  men  to  keep  away 
from  sexual  relations  until  marriage,  which  now 
often  takes  place  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight,  thirty 
or  thirty-five,  and  as  I do  not  consider  gonorrhea 
or  syphilis  a deserved  punishment  for  illicit  in- 
tercourse, it  stands  to  reason  that  I consider  the 
use  of  venereal  prophylactics  perfectly  proper 
and  perfectly  moral.  It  is  the  non-use  of  venereal 
prophylactics,  the  risk  run  of  contracting  an  aw- 
ful disease  with  the  possibility  of  transmitting  it 
to  your  future  wife  and  children  that  is  immoral. 
Of  course,  if  you  can  abstain  from  any  illicit  sex 
relations,  so  much  the  better,  but,  if  you  cannot, 
use  a prophylactic. 


Chapter  Thirteen 


PROPHYLAXIS,  OR  PREVENTION,  OF 
VENEREAL  DISEASE 

THE  first  principle  of  prophylaxis  is  personal 
cleanliness  of  the  genitals.  A person  who 
seldom  washes  the  glans  penis  and  allows  smegma 
to  accumulate  beneath  his  foreskin  invites  infec- 
tion. The  foreskin  should  he  drawn  back  daily 
and  it  and  the  glans  washed  carefully  with  soap 
and  water  and  dried.  If  there  is  a tendency  to 
abrasions,  washings  with  alcohol  (1  part  alcohol 
and  3 parts  water)  or  with  a 5 per  cent,  solution 
of  alum  should  be  resorted  to.  Of  course  no  sus- 
picious sexual  relations  should  be  had  when  there 
is  the  slightest  abrasion  on  any  part  of  the  penis, 
and  should  the  tendency  to  abrasions,  or  cracks, 
or  pimples  persist,  a physician  should  be  con- 
sulted. 

Circumcision  is  an  important  prophylactic 
measure,  and  the  circumcised  have  a great  ad- 
vantage over  the  non-circumcised  in  respect  to 
venereal  infection.  While  the  importance  of  cir- 

103 


104  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


cumcision  is  more  striking  in  avoiding  chancre 
and  chancroids,  still  it  also  plays  a role  in  avoid- 
ing gonorrhea. 

The  subject  of  circumcision  is  a very  important 
one.  Practically  all  experienced  venereologists 
and  sexologists  are  now  in  favor  of  this  hygienic 
measure.  Here,  for  instance,  is  what  Dr.  Lydston 
has  to  say: 

“Circumcision — removal  of  the  prepuce — origi- 
nated in  remote  ages  as  a religious  rite  [which, 
as  many  other  religious  rites,  had  a sanitary  ba- 
sis]. It  is  still  so  practised  by  some  peoples,  no- 
tably by  the  Jews  and  Mohammedans.  The  abo- 
rigines of  Australia  also  practise  it.  On  this  ac- 
count it  has  been  asserted  by  some  ethnologists 
that  the  native  Australians  are  descendants  of  one 
of  the  Ten  Lost  Tribes  of  Israel.  This  theory  is 
as  fantastic  as  it  probably  is  untrue.  Like  some 
of  the  native  tribes  of  Africa,  the  Australians 
show  vestiges  of  phallism  or  sex  worship,  of  which 
circumcision  is  a ceremonial  part. 

Circumcision  is  a most  commendable  practise. 
Whatever  religious  views  one  may  hold,  it  must 
be  conceded  that  Moses,  or  whoever  devised  the 
operation,  was  a hygienist  of  no  mean  preten- 
sions. The  Jews  are  social  hygienists  in  many 
ways,  some  of  which  might  well  be  imitated  by  the 


PREVENTION  OF  DISEASE 


105 


Gentiles,  but  none  of  their  religious  customs  is 
quite  so  sensible  as  the  rite  of  circumcision. 

Circumcision  promotes  cleanliness,  prevents 
disease,  and  by  reducing  over-sensitiveness  of  the 
parts  tends  to  relieve  sexual  irritability,  thus  cor- 
recting any  tendency  which  may  exist  to  improper 
manipulations  of  the  genital  organs  and  the  con- 
sequent acquirement  of  evil  sexual  habits,  such 
as  masturbation. 

Last,  but  not  least,  early  circumcision  insures 
proper  development  of  the  parts.  It  is  a matter 
of  common  observation  among  physicians  that  the 
Jew  is,  upon  the  average,  less  frequently  sexually 
mal-developed  than  the  Gentile.  The  admirable 
custom  of  circumcision  may  have  had  much  to  do 
with  the  extraordinary  virility  and  endurance  of 
the  Jews.  It  is  strange  that  with  the  experience 
and  example  of  this  great  race  before  him,  the 
Gentile  has  not  generally  adopted  as  a hygienic 
custom  the  operation  of  circumcision.  It  is  the 
opinion  of  many  eminent  physicians  that  parents 
who  do  not  have  an  early  circumcision  performed 
upon  their  boys  are  almost  criminally  negligent. 
In  this  opinion  I fully  concur. 

The  prepuce  is  a structure  the  function  of  which 
evolution  of  the  race  has  made  obsolete.  It  was 
once  urgently  necessary  for  the  protection  of  the 


106  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 

sensitive  member  of  which  it  forms  a covering. 
Clothing,  however,  has  relieved  us  of  the  neces- 
sity of  a means  of  protection  which  primitive  man 
or  his  prehuman  ancestors  found  very  essential. 

A simple  but  in  many  cases  efficient  prophylac- 
tic measure  is  urination  immediately  after  coitus. 
Many  men  use  no  other  prophylactic  and  they 
seem  to  be  safe.  The  stream  of  urine  mechanic- 
ally washes  away  the  infective  material;  and  be- 
sides, the  urine,  being  of  acid  reaction,  acidifies 
the  urethral  secretion,  and  this  is  antagonistic  to 
the  development  of  the  gonococcus.  The  man 
should  have  plenty  of  urine  in  his  bladder  (he 
should  drink  plenty  of  water  and  not  urinate  be- 
fore coitus),  and  urinate  immediately  after.  The 
proper  way  is  to  start  urinating,  then  to  com- 
press the  meatus,  and  then  suddenly  let  go.  This 
dilates  the  urethra,  and  the  stream  coming  out 
with  more  force  washes  out  the  canal  more  effec- 
tively. 

The  Condom.  The  oldest,  simplest  and  at  the 
same  time  safest  protective  against  gonorrhea  is 
the  condom.  This  mechanical  covering  or  sheath 
is  supposed  to  have  been  invented  by  a Dr.  Con- 
dom, who  may  well  be  considered  one  of  the  bene- 
factors of  the  human  race.  It  has  no  doubt  since 
its  introduction  protected  millions  of  people  from 


PREVENTION  OF  DISEASE  107 

infection.  Prof.  Blaschko  of  Berlin  has  stated 
publicly  that  Dr.  Condom  deserves  a monument,  as 
without  his  little  invention  all  civilized  races 
would  probably  by  this  time  be  completely  syph- 
ilized.  The  condom  (also  called  French  letter, 
protector,  skin,  capote  anglais)  is  made  of  two  ma- 
terials: rubber  and  the  gut  (cecum)  of  sheep. 
Each  material  has  its  advantages  and  disadvan- 
tages. The  rubber  is  supple  and  elastic,  fits  bet- 
ter and  does  not  easily  slip  off.  But  being  a vege- 
table material  it  forms  a barrier,  and  diminishes 
to  a great  extent  the  voluptuousness  of  the  act. 
In  some  men  it  interferes  with  erection  and  ejac- 
ulation. And  some  men  detest  them  so  that  they 
would  rather  forego  all  sexual  relations  than  to 
use  one.  The  cecal  or  so-called  skin  condoms  do 
not  affect  the  act  so  much,  but  are  not  elastic, 
and  must  he  moistened  before  use.  Of  course  only 
the  best  quality  of  condom  should  be  purchased, 
and  one  should  make  sure  that  the  condom  is  per- 
fect, by  blowing  it  up  or  filling  it  up  with  water 
before  use.  For  the  benefit  of  people  in  moderate 
circumstances  it  may  he  stated  that  condoms  of 
good  quality  may  be  used  more  than  once,  hut 
of  course  they  must  be  cleansed  and  disinfected 
after  each  use.  Wash  well  in  running  water  and 
then  let  it  soak  in  a solution  of  mercuric  chloride 


108  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


1 :1,000  for  an  hour  or  two,  wipe  and  dry  and  put 
away  wrapped  up  in  gauze. 

Condom  no  protection  for  syphilis.  While  a 
good  condom  is  a protection  against  gonorrhea,  it 
is  not  an  absolute  protection  against  syphilis.  I 
have  had  in  my  practise  a number  of  cases  of 
syphilis  contracted  by  patients  who  used  con- 
doms. Not  to  mention  the  possibility  of  infection 
from  mucous  patches  on  the  lips,  which  is  self- 
evident,  infection  may  take  place  either  at  the 
root  of  the  penis  or  on  the  scrotum. 

Chemical.  Antiseptics.  One  of  the  simplest 
and  cleanest  is  a solution  of  mercuric  chloride 
(corrosive  sublimate)  1 to  5,000.  Many  men  carry 
a small  vial  of  this  solution  with  them,  and  with 
a piece  of  cotton  wash  thoroughly  the  glans  and 
squeeze  a few  drops  into  the  open  meatus.  Some 
have  told  me  that  they  had  been  using  it  for  years 
without  ever  any  accident.  It  is  clean,  cheap  and 
does  not  stain  the  clothes.  Some  people,  how- 
ever, are  sensitive  to  mercuric  chloride  and  the 
solution  causes  some  irritation  on  the  glans  or  in 
the  urethra. 

Others  use  a solution  of  potassium  permanga- 
nate (1  to  5,000)  by  injection.  This  method  is 
effective  as  a prophylactic,  hut  I am  not  in  favor 
of  it.  By  injection  the  infecting  material  may  be 


PREVENTION  OF  DISEASE 


109 


carried  further  backward,  injections  are  irritating 
and  may  cause  damage,  and  besides  potassium 
permanganate  stains  the  clothes  and  linen. 

Protargol  and  argyrol  have  been  used  exten- 
sively and  effectively  as  veneral  prophylactics.  A 
few  drops  of  a 5 or  10  per  cent,  solution  of  pro- 
targol or  20  per  cent,  solution  of  argyrol  are  in- 
stilled into  the  urethra  and  held  there  for  several 
minutes. 

Silver  nitrate  is  efficient,  but  is  too  irritating 
and  I am  opposed  to  its  use. 

In  the  last  few  years,  following  Metchnikoff ’s 
experiments,  calomel  in  ointment  form  has  been 
used  a great  deal  as  a prophylactic  against  syph- 
ilis. It  has  been  found,  however,  that  the  calomel 
ointment  also  acts  as  a preventive  against  gonor- 
rhea and  some  advise  the  use  of  it  as  a general 
venereal  prophylactic.  The  glans  and  prepuce  are 
well  rubbed  in  with  the  calomel  ointment  to  pre- 
vent the  development  of  syphilis  and  chancroids, 
and  some  of  it  is  injected  into  the  urethra  and  this 
prevents  the  development  of  gonorrhea.  The 
preparation  used,  for  instance,  on  the  U.  S.  S.S. 
Rainbow  has  the  following  formula: 


Calomel  50  gm. 

Liquid  petrolatum 80  cc. 

Adeps  lanae 70  gm. 


110  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


This  being  a semi-liquid  preparation,  it  can  be 
injected  with  an  ordinary  urethral  syringe.  Dur- 
ing a period  of  six  months  there  were  529  admit- 
ted exposures,  with  the  development  of  only  four 
cases  of  gonorrhea.  Of  these  four  one  denied  ex- 
posure and  therefore  did  not  receive  the  treatment, 
two  received  it  late,  more  than -twelve  hours  after 
exposure,  so  that  out  of  the  529  there  is  really 
only  one  failure,  which,  considering  the  character 
of  the  women  with  whom  the  sailors  consort,  is  an 
excellent  record. 

To  avoid  the  inconvenience  of  having  to  prepare 
solutions,  of  carrying  about  a bottle  and  syringe, 
a number  of  prophylactics  have  been  put  on  the 
market,  which  have  the  advantage  of  small  com- 
pass, cleanliness,  and  readiness  for  use.  Every 
country  has  its  own  preparations — in  Germany 
there  are  dozens  of  them.  There  are  several  in 
this  country.1  Their  use  is  very  simple,  and  as  full 
instructions  for  use  accompany  these  prepara- 
tions, there  is  no  need  of  giving  them  here. 

SOME  DON’TS 

The  above  are  the  positive  measures  for  the 
prevention  of  gonorrhea.  But  he  who  wishes  to 

1The  best  known  and  most  popular  are  the  Sanitubes.  They 
are  cleanly  and  reliable. 


PREVENTION  OF  DISEASE 


111 


avoid  the  disease  must  also  listen  to  some  negative 
advice.  Besides  several  things  to  do,  there  are 
also  several  things  not  to  do.  The  most  important 
of  all  Don’ts  is:  Don’t  drink  any  alcohol,  in  any 
shape  or  form.  Alcohol  is  a great  ally  of  venereal 
disease.  It  has  a doubly  pernicious  effect.  It 
weakens  the  reasoning  power,  paralyzes  the  will, 
and  thus  causes  the  man  to  lose  all  prudence  and 
choose  a woman  whom  in  the  sober  state  he  would 
not  associate  with ; makes  him  tarry  at  the  act  or 
repeat  it  too  many  times,  and  prevents  him  often 
— by  putting  him  into  a deep  sleep  lasting  sev- 
eral hours — from  employing  any  antiseptic  meas- 
ures. But  besides  this,  alcohol  by  producing  a 
congestion  in  the  urethral  canal  makes  it  more 
vulnerable  and  more  receptive  to  germs.  If  no  al- 
coholic beverages  were  indulged  in,  there  would  be 
not  only  much  less  sexual  indulgence,  but  also 
very  much  less  venereal  disease. 

Another  Don’t  is  not  to  tarry  too  long  in  the 
act,  not  to  attempt  to  prolong  it  unnecessarily,  and 
not  to  repeat  the  act  unless  an  antiseptic  douche 
has  been  taken  by  the  woman. 

As  is  seen,  there  is  no  royal  road,  no  short  cut, 
to  venereal  prophylaxis.  Pronouncing  a prayer 
or  a shibboleth  will  not  do  it.  Some  care  must 
always  be  exercised,  some  trouble  cannot  be 


112  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 

avoided.  But  this  is  a small  price  to  pay  for 
freedom  from  venereal  disease. 

To  summarize : In  order  to  avoid  venereal  in- 
fection the  genital  organs  must  be  kept  in  a clean, 
healthy  condition.  A condom  of  the  best  quality 
is  up  to  the  present  day  the  surest  and  simplest 
prophylactic.  As,  however,  it  interferes  with  the 
pleasure  of  the  act,  some  men  not  being  able  to 
obtain  an  erection  or  ejaculation,  other  measures 
become  necessary.  They  are:  immediate  urina- 
tion after  coitus,  and  instilling  into  the  urethra  a 
solution  or  a mixture  of  protargol  or  argyrol  or 
a soft  ointment  of  calomel.  The  Sanitubes  are 
trustworthy  and  can  be  recommended.  As  a pro- 
tection against  syphilis  the  glans  and  prepuce 
should  also  be  well  rubbed  in  with  a strong  calo- 
mel ointment.  The  woman  should  always  take  an 
antiseptic  douche  before  and  after  coitus.  Al- 
cohol in  any  form  is  injurious  and  should  not  be 
indulged  in  before  coitus,  nor  should  the  act  be 
unduly  prolonged. 

SOME  OTHER  THINGS  TO  AVOID 

But  as  venereal  disease,  particularly  syphilis, 
may  also  be  contracted  outside  of  the  sexual  act, 
a few  other  hygienic  rules  should  be  observed. 

Do  not  ever,  if  you  can  avoid  it,  use  a public 


PREVENTION  OF  DISEASE 


113 


toilet.  If  you  are  forced  to  use  it,  protect  your- 
self by  putting  some  paper  over  the  seat. 

Do  not  use  a public  drinking  cup.  If  you  have 
to  use  one  keep  your  lips  away  from  the  rim. 
One  can  learn  to  drink  without  touching  the  rim 
of  the  glass  or  cup  with  the  lips. 

Do  not  under  any  circumstances  use  a public 
towel.  The  roller  towel  is  a menace  to  health  and 
should  be  forbidden  in  every  part  of  the  country. 

If  you  have  to  sleep  in  a hotel  or  in  a strange 
bed,  make  sure  that  the  linen  is  clean  and  fresh. 
Never  sleep  on  bed  linen  which  has  been  used  by 
a stranger. 

Avoid  the  barber.  Shave  your  own  beard.  But 
if  you  do  use  a barber,  make  sure  that  his  hands 
are  clean  (I  once  treated  a barber  the  palms  of 
whose  hands  were  covered  with  a syphilitic  rash 
and  who,  nevertheless,  kept  up  his  work),  and  that 
he  sterilizes  his  razor.  Always  have  your  own 
brush.  Never  use  a public  brush  or  comb.  Be 
sure  that  your  dentist  is  a careful  up-to-date  man 
and  sterilizes  his  instruments  carefully.  Many 
a case  of  syphilis  has  been  transmitted  by  a den- 
tist ’s  instrument.  A syphilitic  who  goes  to  a den- 
tist to  be  treated  generally  conceals  his  disease, 
and  if  the  dentist  is  not  in  the  habit  of  sterilizing 


114  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


his  instruments  after  each  patient,  disaster  may- 
result. 

Be  sure  that  your  manicurist  is  not  syphilitic 
or  at  least  that  her  hands  are  healthy,  clean  and 
free  from  any  eruption.  And  last  hut  not  least, 
do  not  indulge  in  promiscuous  kissing.  This  is  a 
real  peril  and  there  are  thousands  of  cases  of 
syphilis  that  are  known  to  have  been  contracted 
directly  from  kissing.  As  you  will  learn  in  a 
future  chapter,  people  suffering  with  syphilis 
often  have  little  white  sores  (called  mucous 
patches)  on  their  lips,  tongue  and  inside  of  cheeks. 
These  sores  are  very  infectious,  and  by  kissing 
the  disease  is  readily  transmitted.  Kissing  games 
have  been  responsible  in  more  than  one  case  for 
the  spread  of  syphilis  to  many  persons.  Avoid 
promiscuous  kissing! 

We  have  considered  the  prevention  of  venereal 
disease  rather  in  detail,  as  the  importance  of  the 
subject  demands.  But  assuming  that  for  some 
reason  or  other  you  have  not  used  any  venereal 
prophylactic,  or  you  have  used  it  carelessly  and 
it  proved  inefficient,  and  you  have  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  contract  one  of  the  venereal  diseases, 
what  should  you  do?  The  proper  and  the  wise 
thing  for  you  to  do  is  to  make  a clean  breast  of 


PREVENTION  OF  DISEASE 


115 


your  trouble  to  your  father  or  mother,  who,  if 
they  are  of  the  right  stuff,  will  abstain  from,  or  at 
least  delay  any  scoldings  and  punishments,  and 
will  take  you  at  once  to  a reputable  physician, 
preferably  a specialist,  who  in  the  end  will  prove 
not  only  more  satisfactory,  but  also  cheaper.  If 
you  have  no  parents  or  if  your  parents  are  such 
that  you  are  afraid  of  your  life  to  tell  them  your 
trouble  (such  parents  are  as  bad  as  no  parents  at 
all),  then  ask  somebody  to  recommend  you  to  a 
reputable  physician  or  specialist.  As  you  value 
your  life  and  your  future,  do  not  try  to  treat  your- 
self with  patent  medicines,  do  not  let  your  bar- 
ber, nor  your  druggist,  nor  your  “ experienced ” 
friend  treat  you,  and  above  all  avoid  the  quacks 
who  advertise  in  the  newspapers,  or  distribute 
pamphlets  or  are  proprietors  of  “museums  for 
men.”  You  are  lost  if  you  do.  I have  seen  some 
very  bad  examples.  The  best,  most  conscientious 
and  most  experienced  physicians  have  a hard 
enough  job  to  cure  some  of  the  cases  of  gonorrhea 
or  syphilis  that  present  themselves,  so  what 
chance  can  a druggist,  or  a barber,  or  a lay  friend 
or  a quack  have  of  curing  you?  In  fact,  the  treat- 
ment of  venereal  disease  by  anybody  but  a repu- 
table physician  should  be  a criminal  offense.  No, 


116  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


leave  treatment  to  the  doctor.  But  the  nature  of 
the  venereal  diseases,  their  course  and  symptoms 
you  have  a right  to  know,  and  this  we  will  discuss 
presently,  taking  each  disease  separately,  in  the 
following  order : Gonorrhea,  Syphilis,  Chancroid. 


Chapter  Fourteen 


GONORRHEA 


ONORRHEA  or  gonorrheal  urethritis  is  an 


inflammation  of  the  urethra,  caused  by  a 
germ  called  gonococcus.  This  germ  was  discov- 
ered by  Prof.  Neisser  of  Breslau  in  1879,  and  gon- 
orrhea is  therefore  also  referred  to  as  gonococcal 
urethritis,  or  Neisserian  urethritis.  As  it  is 
caused  by  a special,  specific  germ,  it  is  also  spoken 
of  as  specific  urethritis  or  specific  infection. 
Other  names  for  this  disease  are  blennorrhea  and 
blennorrhagia.  The  germ  which  causes  gonorrhea 
is  exceedingly  small  and  can  be  seen  by  a high- 
power  microscope  only,  after  being  stained  with 
a proper  stain.  In  a well  developed  case  of  acute 
gonorrhea  there  are  millions  and  millions  of  them ; 
they  are  somewhat  coffee-bean  shaped  and  they 
generally  occur  in  the  pus  cells  of  the  discharge 
in  pairs  or  in  multiples  of  two ; that  is,  in  fours, 
eights,  etc.  The  illustration  gives  a very  good 
idea  how  they  look  under  the  microscope.  Not 
every  discharge  from  the  urethra  is  a gonorrhea; 


1X7 


118  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


to  the  naked  eye  all  discharges  may  look  alike; 
and  only  the  microscope  can  distinguish  between 
a gonorrheal  discharge  and  a simple  catarrh.  The 
physician  therefore  who  has  no  microscope  or 
does  not  know  how  to  use  one  can  not  do  full  jus- 
tice to  his  patients. 

When  a man  has  intercourse  with  a woman  who 
has  gonorrhea,  he  does  not  show  any  symptoms  at 
once.  It  takes  some  time  for  the  germ  to  grow 
and  develop.  The  time  required  for  this  develop- 
ment, in  other  words  the  length  of  the  incubation 
stage,  varies  in  different  cases;  hut  the  usual 
length  is  from  three  to  five  days.  In  other 
words,  it  takes  three  to  five  days  from  the  mo- 
ment of  an  infectious  intercourse  until  the  patient 
becomes  aware  that  there  is  anything  the  matter 
with  him.  During  that  time  the  patient  is  per- 
fectly well.  At  the  end  of  this  period  the  patient 
becomes  aware  of  some  peculiar  sensation  in  the 
urethra,  and  what  we  call  the  prodromal  stage 
commences.  The  patient  feels  a little  tickling  or 
burning  in  the  urethra,  particularly  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  meatus.  If  he  looks  at  his  penis  he 
finds  that  the  lips  of  the  meatus  are  a little  puffed 
and  red ; they  may  be  slightly  stuck  together ; but 
there  is  no  discharge.  If  the  patient  is  told  to 
urinate,  the  urine  is  found  clear.  This  stage 


THE  GERMS  IN  ACUTE  GONORRHEA  AS  SEEN  UNDER  THE  MICROSCOPE 


GONORRHEA 


119 


lasts  from  about  twelve  to  forty-eight  hours,  and 
then  we  have  the  acute  stage  before  us,  and  it  is 
then  that  the  most  prominent  symptom  of  gon- 
orrhea, the  discharge,  makes  its  appearance.  At 
first  it  is  scanty,  and  almost  a pure  white;  grad- 
ually it  increases  in  amount,  becomes  very  pro- 
fuse, running  almost  continually,  and  assumes  a 
yellowish,  then  greenish  yellow  color.  The  symp- 
toms keep  getting  worse  (unless  checked  by  ra- 
tional treatment).  The  lips  of  the  meatus  may  be 
slightly  eroded;  the  glans  and  the  prepuce  are 
somewhat  red  and  swollen;  the  entire  urethra  is 
sensitive  and  painful;  the  act  of  micturition  is 
painful,  the  urine  causing  a burning  sensation,  so 
that  the  patient  abstains  from  urinating  as  long 
as  possible;  the  entire  penis  may  feel  hot  and 
turgid,  and  painful  erections  are  not  uncommon. 
If  the  patient  urinates  in  two  glasses,  the  first  one 
is  very  turbid,  but  the  second  one  is  clear.  This 
acute  stage  lasts  from  seven  to  ten  days,  when  a 
stationary  period  lasting  from  one  to  two  weeks 
supervenes.  The  discharge  is  less  profuse,  uri- 
nation is  less  painful,  but  things  remain  without 
much  change  until  the  last,  the  declining  stage. 
In  this  stage  the  symptoms  abate  rapidly,  the  dis- 
charge diminishes  gradually,  until  there  is  but  a 
scanty  drop,  and  this  also  gradually  disappears, 


120  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 

until  in  two  or  three  weeks — that  is,  at  the  end  of 
five  or  six  weeks  from  the  appearance  of  the  first 
symptoms — the  gonorrhea  is  completely  cured. 
There  is  no  discharge,  the  urine  is  perfectly  clear, 
and  no  gonococci  can  be  found. 

The  above  is  a faithful  description  of  an  aver- 
age case  of  acute  anterior  gonorrhea,  but  where 
the  inflammation  extends  to  the  posterior  urethra, 
which  is  the  case  in  the  vast  majority  of  instances, 
two  other  symptoms  become  prominent  and  cause 
great  annoyance.  These  two  symptoms  are 
strangury,  a strong  desire  to  urinate  every  few 
minutes  during  the  day  (and  several  times  during 
the  night),  and  severe  pain  at  the  end  of  micturi- 
tion. While  in  the  course  of  anterior  urethritis 
the  act  of  micturition  causes  pain,  it  is  not  so 
intense,  and  is  more  of  a scalding  or  burning  sen- 
sation; here  the  pain,  particularly  while  passing 
the  last  few  drops,  may  be  very  intense. 

One  thing  I should  like  to  impress  upon  your 
mind  very  deeply:  the  terrible  contagiousness  of 
the  gonorrheal  discharge.  If  a drop  of  the  dis- 
charge gets  on  your  finger  and  you  touch  your 
eyes  with  it,  you  are  apt  to  get  a gonorrheal  in- 
flammation of  the  eye,  gonorrheal  ophthalmia, 
which  may  result  in  your  complete  loss  of  eye- 
sight; you  may  become  an  unhappy  blind  man. 


GONORRHEA 


121 


Thousands  of  children  who  are  deprived  of  one 
of  nature’s  great  gifts — eyesight — are  so  on  ac- 
count of  gonorrhea.  The  birth-canal  of  the  mother 
was  infected  with  gonorrhea,  and  as  the  child  was 
passing  out  into  the  world,  some  of  the  discharge 
got  into  its  eyes  and  it  became  blind.  Beware  of 
the  gonorrheal  discharge.  If  any  gets  on  your 
fingers,  be  sure  to  scrub  them  and  wash  them  with 
an  antiseptic  solution. 

The  course  of  a gonorrhea  depends  upon  sev- 
eral factors : the  virulence  of  the  attack,  some  in- 
fections being  much  more  severe  than  others,  the 
patient’s  constitution,  his  financial  condition, 
whether  he  can  stay  at  home  and  take  things  easy 
or  must  keep  on  working,  and  last,  but  not  least, 
the  skill  and  experience  of  his  physician.  When 
all  circumstances  are  favorable,  a gonorrhea  may 
he  cured  in  five  to  six  weeks,  cured  absolutely,  so 
as  never  to  give  any  signs  or  symptoms.  The 
statement  “once  a gonorrhea,  always  a gonor- 
rhea” is  foolish  and  mischievous.  I know  hun- 
dreds of  men  who  had  gonorrhea  in  their 
youth,  who  were  completely  cured,  who  married, 
and  gave  birth  to  fine,  healthy  children,  and  never 
caused  the  slightest  trouble  to  their  wives.  So 
that  the  talk  about  gonorrhea  being  incurable  is 
nonsense.  But  when  the  circumstances  are  un- 


122  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


favorable,  when  the  patient  does  not  apply  at  once 
to  a physician,  but  treats  himself  with  patent 
medicines,  or  with  injections  given  him  by  a 
friendly  druggist,  or  if  he  must  keep  on  working, 
or  if  his  physician  happens  to  be  careless  and  in- 
competent, then  the  gonorrhea,  instead  of  being 
cured,  becomes  chronic,  becomes  what  we  call  a 
gleet,  the  infection  may  extend  to  the  prostate, 
the  seminal  vesicles,  the  testicles,  and  then  it  may 
take  months  or  years  to  cure  it,  and  some  cases 
become  practically  incurable. 

THE  TREATMENT  OF  GONORRHEA 

The  treatment  of  gonorrhea  is  of  a general  hy- 
gienic character,  and  also  consists  in  administer- 
ing medicines  internally  and  using  injections  into 
the  urethra.  Of  the  internal  and  local  treatment  I 
will  say  nothing  here,  because  that  belongs  to  the 
province  of  the  physician.  No  wise  person  will 
attempt  to  treat  himself  for  a gonorrhea.  But 
with  the  general  hygienic  measures  it  will  do  you 
no  harm  to  be  familiar. 

General  Measures.  The  general  measures  may 
be  expressed  in  the  words,  “taking  things  easy.” 
If  the  patient  can  afford  it  he  should  stay  at  home, 
but  under  our  present  economic  and  social  condi- 
tions there  is  hardly  one  man  in  a hundred  who 


GONORRHEA 


123 


can  stay  at  home  because  he  contracted  gonorrhea. 
He  would  risk  losing  his  job,  his  position,  or  he 
would  “give  away”  his  trouble  to  his  parents  or 
his  wife,  which  is  just  as  bad.  So  we  have  to  do 
the  best  we  can.  We  therefore  tell  him  he  should 
stand  as  little  as  possible,  walk  as  little  as  possi- 
ble, even  ride  as  little  as  possible,  and  to  recline 
as  much  as  possible.  He  should  be  particularly 
careful  about  lifting  things,  as  by  doing  so  he 
may  invite  an  inflammation  of  the  epididymis. 
That  he  should  avoid  dancing,  horseback  riding, 
bicycling,  goes  without  saying,  but  it  is  not  so  well 
known  that  railroad  and  automobile  traveling  may 
and  often  does  exert  a very  injurious  effect  on  an 
acute  gonorrhea. 

Sexual  Rest.  Sexual  intercourse  is  to  be 
strictly  prohibited,  and  no  exceptions  are  to  be 
made  to  this  rule.  One  might  think  that  this  is  a 
point  on  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  spend  any 
time,  but  those  who  think  so  do  not  know  man- 
kind as  well  as  I do.  I personally  have  seen  many 
cases  in  my  practise  where  the  man  did  have  sex- 
ual relations  during  the  acute  stage  of  an  acute 
gonorrhea. 

Diet.  The  diet  should  be  moderate,  and  that  is 
about  all.  I do  not  see  the  necessity  of  limiting 
gonorrheal  patients  to  a strict  diet.  They  may 


124  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


follow  their  usual  diet,  merely  taking  care  to  leave 
out  all  spices,  condiments  and  salty  or  acid  ar- 
ticles of  food.  Meat  is  not  injurious,  though  it  is 
better  to  eat  of  it  sparingly. 

Beverages.  All  alcoholics  of  whatever  nature 
are  strictly  prohibited.  Coffee  is  also  best  cut  out 
because  it  has  an  irritating  effect  on  the  sexual 
organs,  but  very  weak  tea  may  be  used.  The  best 
thing  to  drink  during  an  acute  gonorrhea  is  milk, 
buttermilk,  and  plenty  of  plain  water.  Those  who 
do  not  like  plain  water  may  drink  a mild  alkaline 
mineral  water.  Carbonated  beverages,  however, 
are  best  avoided. 

Among  the  other  general  measures  it  is  only 
necessary  to  mention  two:  the  patient’s  bowels 
and  bath.  The  patient  must  see  to  it  that  he  does 
not  get  constipated.  A constipated  bowel  has  a 
bad  effect  on  an  acute  gonorrhea. 

Hot  baths  are  very  useful,  and  they  should  be 
taken  as  sitz  baths  or  hip  baths.  I am  afraid  of 
a gonorrheal  patient  taking  a full  bath.  I always 
fear  that  some  of  the  pus,  minute  as  the  amount 
may  be,  may  be  washed  off  the  urethra  and  reach 
his  eyes. 

That  the  patient  should  wash  his  hands  each 
time  after  touching  his  penis  and  that  the  danger 
of  transmitting  the  pus  from  the  urethra  to  the 


GONORRHEA 


125 


eyes  should  be  thoroughly  emphasized  to  him,  also 
goes  without  saying.  It  would  be  a good  idea 
for  physicians  and  dispensaries  to  hand  to  their 
patients  a printed  leaflet  containing  the  necessary 
instructions.  It  not  only  avoids  the  danger  of 
forgetting  things  but  it  saves  time. 


Chapter  Fifteen" 


SYPHILIS 

SYPHILIS ! The  name  inspires  both  terror 
and  disgust.  For  several  centuries  it  has 
been  one  of  humanity’s  great  scourges,  and  the 
damage  it  did  was  to  a great  extent  due  to  the 
fact  that  people  ostrich-like  put  their  heads  into 
the  sand,  and  did  not  want  to  look  the  monster  in 
the  face.  To  pronounce  the  name  was  a disgrace, 
and  people  were  brought  up  so  as  not  to  know 
of  the  existence  of  such  a monster ; they  made  its 
acquaintance  when  they  themselves  or  their  chil- 
dren or  some  near  relative  or  friend  had  the 
misfortune  to  become  stung  by  its  poisonous 
fangs. 

Until  very  recently  no  newspaper  or  magazine 
dared  to  print  the  fateful  word  in  its  columns,  and 
physicians  who,  seeing  the  poisonous  results  of 
silence  and  ignorance,  thought  it  their  duty  to 
instruct  the  laity  by  aid  of  popularly  written 
books  or  lectures  were  looked  down  upon  by 
their  ultra-orthodox  brethren,  who  were  perme- 

127 


128  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


ated  with  the  idea  that  the  medical  profession 
should  be  like  an  ancient  priesthood  and  should 
keep  its  knowledge  away  from  the  vulgar  crowd. 

Let  us  he  grateful  that  a decided  change  has 
taken  place  in  this  respect,  that  some  newspa- 
pers and  magazines  are  no  longer  afraid  to  spell 
out  the  word  Syphilis,  and  that  instructing  the 
young  as  to  the  nature  and  dangers  of  the  ve- 
nereal diseases  is  now  not  only  permissible,  but 
is  considered  a duty  which  must  not  be  shirked. 

HOW  SYPHILIS  IS  ACQUIRED 

A person  can  become  infected  with  syphilis  in 
one  of  two  ways : directly  and  indirectly.  Most 
cases  of  infection  occur  in  the  direct  or  “imme- 
diate” way;  that  is,  by  one  person  coming  in  di- 
rect contact  with  the  chancre  or  mucous  patch  of 
another  person  suffering  with  syphilis. 

The  indirect  or  “mediate”  way  of  infection 
takes  place  through  drinking  cups,  clothes,  in- 
struments, lead  pencils,  tooth  brushes,  etc.  While 
such  cases  are  not  of  everyday  occurrence  still 
they  are  not  infrequent.  Some  of  the  saddest 
cases  of  syphilis  are  of  this  character.  As  this 
syphilis  is  not  contracted  during  sexual  inter- 
course, but  unknowingly  and  unsuspectingly,  it  is 


SYPHILIS 


129 


called  syphilis  insonitium,  or  syphilis  of  the  in- 
nocent, or  unmerited  syphilis. 

Syphilis  may  also  be  and  often  is  inherited 
from  the  parents.  This  is  called  hereditary  or 
congenital  syphilis.  If  the  father  alone  is  syph- 
ilitic the  child  may  escape  the  disease;  if  the 
mother  is  syphilitic,  the  child  seldom  escapes;  if 
both  father  and  mother  are  syphilitic,  the  child 
never  escapes.  Hereditary  syphilis  will  be  con- 
sidered separately. 

The  Synonyms  of  Syphilis.  No  other  disease 
has  so  many  synonyms,  so  many  aliases,  as  has 
the  disease  which  we  are  about  to  discuss.  There 
is  hardly  a nation  after  which  the  disease  has  not 
been  named,  for  every  nation  was  anxious  to  be- 
stow upon  some  other  nation  the  honor  of  having 
introduced  that  terrible  plague  into  Europe. 
Thus  we  have  the  most  common  name — morbus 
gallicus,  or  the  French  disease;  morbus  hispani- 
cus  or  the  Spanish  disease;  morbus  italicus,  the 
Italian  disease ; morbus  polonicus,  the  Polish  dis- 
ease ; malum  americanum,  the  American  sickness ; 
morbus  neapolitanus,  the  Neapolitan  disease,  etc., 
etc.  It  is  also  rather  remarkable  that  the  disease 
was  named  after  different  saints — not  less  than 
twelve  in  number;  so,  it  was  called  morbus  St. 
Jobi,  morbus  St.  Menti,  etc.  In  the  Latin  lan- 


130  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


guage  alone  the  disease  has  considerably  more 
than  a hundred  synonyms  and  each  modern  lan- 
guage boasts  of  half  a dozen  to  a dozen  names. 
The  two  most  universally  used  names,  however, 
are  syphilis  and  lues. 

The  Course  of  the  Disease.  The  course  of 
syphilis  is  usually  divided  into  3 stages:  Pri- 

mary, secondary  and  tertiary. 

Though  it  is  now  well  known  that  this  division 
as  given  to  the  world  by  its  most  famous  syphilog- 
rapher,  Ricord,  does  not  always  hold  true,  that 
lesions  classed  as  distinctly  tertiary  may  occur  in 
the  secondary  stage,  and  vice  versa,  and  that  the 
lesions  of  all  the  three  stages  may  exist  at  the 
same  time,  still  for  the  purpose  of  convenience, 
the  division  is  retained.  It  is  well,  however,  to 
emphasize  the  fact  that  no  sharp  line  of  demarca- 
tion exists  between  the  three  stages. 

The  Primary  Stage.  The  primary  stage  is  it- 
self divided  into  two  substages.  The  first  sub- 
stage is  from  the  infection  to  the  time  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  chancre.  The  average  length  of 
this  period  is  fourteen  to  twenty-one  days,  though 
it  may  vary  between  wider  limits;  it  may  be  oc- 
casionally as  short  as  ten  days,  or  as  long  as 
thirty,  forty  and  fifty  days,  and  Fournier  re- 
r ported  a case  in  which  seventy  days  elapsed  be- 


SYPHILIS 


131 


tween  the  day  of  infection  and  the  day  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  chancre.  The  second  substage, 
or  second  period  of  incubation,  is  counted  from 
the  time  of  the  appearance  of  the  primary  lesion 
(chancre)  to  the  day  of  the  appearance  of  the 
roseola,  or  eruption.  The  average  length  of  this 
period  is  six  weeks,  but  it  may  vary,  in  rare  cases, 
from  three  weeks  to  three  months. 

The  lesions  of  the  primary  stage  are  the  chan- 
cre and  the  syphilitic  bubo,  or  swelling  of  the 
glands  and  lymphatic  vessels  which  are  in  ana- 
tomical relation  with  the  chancre. 

The  Secondary  Stage.  The  secondary  stage, 
the  advent  of  which  may  he  expected  at  about  the 
end  of  the  sixth  week  (limits : three  weeks  to  three 
months,  as  previously  stated),  is  the  stage  of  skin 
and  mucous-membrane  lesions.  It  is  character- 
ized by  multiform  eruptions  of  the  skin,  by  mu- 
cous patches,  by  falling  of  the  hair,  by  a general 
enlargement  of  the  glands,  by  eye  troubles,  etc. 
While  the  duration  of  this  stage  is  generally 
given  between  one  and  two  years,  no  definite  time- 
limit can  really  be  named,  for  the  length  depends 
so  much  upon  the  thoroughness  of  the  treatment, 
the  virulence  of  the  infection  and  the  mode  of 
life  and  constitution  of  the  patient. 

The  Tertiary  Stage.  The  tertiary  stage  is 


132  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


characterized  by  swellings  called  gummata,  by 
various  ulcers,  by  affections  of  the  bones,  the 
viscera,  nerves,  brain  and  arteries.  This  “stage” 
may  make  its  appearance  in  a year  or  two 
(generally  two)  after  infection,  it  may  make  its 
appearance  in  twenty  or  thirty  years,  or  the 
patient  may  escape  it  altogether.  It  may  last  a 
few  months  to  a few  years  or  it  may  accompany 
the  patient  to  the  grave.  Now  we  will  take  up 
each  stage  separately. 

THE  PRIMARY  LESION:  THE  CHANCRE 

The  signal  that  informs  us,  alas!  too  late,  that 
a syphilitic  infection  has  taken  place  is  known  un- 
der the  name  of  chancre,  Hunterian  chancre,  hard 
chancre,  primary  sclerosis,  initial  lesion,  infect- 
ing chancre,  etc.  Chancres  that  are  on  the  penis 
or  scrotum  are  called  genital ; chancres  formed  on 
other  parts  of  the  body,  like  the  lips  (from  kiss- 
ing), the  tongue,  the  tonsils,  the  chin,  fingers,  etc., 
are  called  extragenital.  The  most  characteristic 
feature  of  the  chancre  is  its  hardness;  in  many 
cases  it  is  as  hard  as  cartilage,  and  when  the  hard- 
ness is  unmistakable  and  when  swelling  of  the 
glands  is  present  and  the  period  of  incubation  is 
confirmatory  of  a syphilitic  lesion  we  are  justified 
in  making  a positive  diagnosis.  But  many  chan- 


SYPHILIS 


133 


cres  are  not  characteristic  and  in  such  cases  one 
must  be  very  cautious  before  making  a positive 
statement,  unless  the  finding  of  the  spirocheta 
pallida  leaves  no  doubt  on  the  question. 

What  is  the  spirocheta  pallida?  The  spiro- 


Spirocheta  Pallida,  or  Treponema  Pallidum,  the  Germ  of 
Syphilis  as  Seen  under  the  Microscope 

cheta  pallida  is  a germ  to  which  syphilis  is  due. 
It  is  a minute  organism,  belonging  to  the  class  of 
protozoa,  spiral  or  corkscrew-shaped,  having 
often  as  many  as  fourteen  turns,  very  thin  and 
very  motile.  It  can  be  seen  with  the  highest  pow- 
ers of  the  microscope  only.  There  is  another 
spirocheta,  called  spirocheta  refringens,  similar 
in  shape  to  the  pallida,  and  which  may  readily 
be  mistaken  for  the  latter  by  the  inexperienced. 


134  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


But  the  spirocheta  refringens  is  thicker,  has 
longer  and  fewer  spirals  and  stains  more  readily 
and  more  distinctly.  If  one  has  seen  typical 
specimens  of  both  spirochetes  he  will  not  be  likely 
to  mistake  the  one  for  the  other. 

The  honor  of  the  discovery  belongs  to  Schau- 
dinn  and  Hoffmann,  both  of  Berlin.  The  author 
was  fortunate  enough  to  be  present  at  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Berlin  Medical  Society  at  which  the 
announcement  of  the  discovery,  with  microscope 
and  stereopticon  demonstrations,  was  made.  The 
skepticism  was  quite  general  at  first,  hut  as  cor- 
roborative reports  began  to  come  in  from  observ- 
ers in  all  parts  of  the  world,  the  skepticism  gave 
way  to  general  acceptance. 

THE  SECONDARY  STAGE 

The  secondary  stage  makes  its  appearance  in 
about  six  weeks  after  the  appearance  of  the  chan- 
cre, and  may  last  a year  or  two.  It  is  the  stage 
of  eruptions  and  mucous  patches.  The  first  erup- 
tion is  a very  faint  red  rash  called  the  roseola  or 
syphilitic  roseola.  It  is  sometimes  very  faint  and 
may  pass  unnoticed  by  the  patient  himself,  but  to 
the  eye  of  the  experienced  physician,  it  tells  the 
story  very  plainly.  This  rash  may  cover  the 
whole  body,  or  only  the  trunk  and  the  front  of 


SPIROCHETE  PALLIDE  IN  LIVER  OP  NEWBORN  INFANT 


SYPHILIS  135 

the  arms.  This  rash  is  not  in  the  least  elevated 
upon  the  skin.  It  can  only  he  seen,  but  it  cannot 
be  felt.  But  later  there  are  numerous  other  erup- 
tions in  the  form  of  pimples,  or  pustules,  etc, 
which  are  elevated  above  the  skin  and  which  can 
be  readily  felt. 

Often  there  is  a string  of  pimples  on  the  fore- 
head which  are  very  characteristic  and  from 
which  alone  an  experienced  physician  can  make 
a diagnosis.  They  hear  the  euphonious  title  of 
corona  veneris  or  Venus’  crown. 

When  the  first  eruption  makes  its  appearance 
it  is  generally  also  accompanied  by  slight  fever, 
and  the  patient  complains  of  general  illness,  pain 
in  the  hones,  particularly  in  the  legs,  and  in  the 
ribs.  These  pains  usually  get  worse  toward  eve- 
ning and  become  very  had  in  the  night  time.  It  is 
one  of  the  characteristics  of  syphilitic  pain  that 
it  is  always  worse  at  night. 

At  the  time  when  the  eruption  makes  its  ap- 
pearance, or  a little  later,  the  throat  is  also  apt 
to  get  sore,  and  little  sores  may  appear  on  the 
tonsils,  throat,  tongue,  cheek  and  lips.  These  are 
the  well-known  mucous  patches,  which  are  exceed- 
ingly infectious,  just  as  infectious  as  the  chancre 
itself.  A mucous  patch  begins  as  an  innocent 
little  white  spot;  after  a while  the  white  mem- 


136  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


brane  comes  off  and  a shallow  little  ulcer  is  left. 

During  this  stage  the  hair  also  usually  falls  out. 
There  are  two  ways  in  which  the  hair  falls  out. 
Either  there  is  a general  thinning  of  the  hair,  the 
entire  hair-covering  being  affected  in  the  same 
manner,  or  it  begins  to  fall  out  in  little  patches, 
becoming  like  moth-eaten  or  mouse-eaten.  This 
baldness  or  alopecia  is  very  characteristic  and 
often  is  alone  sufficient  to  establish  or  at  least  to 
corroborate  the  diagnosis  of  syphilis. 

Iritis  or  inflammation  of  the  iris,  which  is  the 
ring  about  the  pupil  of  the  eye,  is  another  one  of 
the  lesions  of  secondary  syphilis.  It  may  come  on 
with  the  roseola.  Under  proper  treatment  it  lasts 
anywhere  from  two  to  eight  or  ten  weeks  and  then 
disappears  without  leaving  any  permanent  in- 
jury. But  if  the  attacks  recur  frequently,  the  eye- 
sight may  be  impaired  or  altogether  lost. 


THE  TERTIARY  STAGE 

The  tertiary  stage  is  the  stage  of  swellings  and 
ulcers.  A syphilitic  swelling  or  tumor  is  called 
a gumma  (plural : gummata).  There  is  not  a part 
of  the  body  outside  or  inside  that  may  not  be  at- 
tacked by  gummata  and  ulcerations.  There  may 
be  gummata  on  the  brain  or  in  the  spinal  cord, 


SYPHILIS 


137 


in  the  heart,  liver,  spleen,  on  the  scalp,  arms,  legs, 
etc.  The  nose  may  sink  in  or  ulcerate  away  en- 
tirely, the  patient  acquiring  a horrible  appear- 
ance, the  soft  palate  or  hard  palate  and  the  epi- 
glottis may  become  perforated,  making  it  difficult 
for  the  patient  to  eat  or  to  talk;  the  penis  and 
testicles  may  be  destroyed,  the  stomach,  kidneys 
and  bladder  may  become  affected — in  short,  there 
is  not  a tissue  or  an  organ  in  the  body  which 
may  not  be  affected  or  destroyed  by  the  poison 
of  syphilis.  The  cases  of  tertiary  syphilis  that 
used  to  be  seen  in  former  years  were  horrible  in- 
deed. They  were  enough  to  turn  the  stomach  of 
the  most  hardened  venereal  specialist.  We  are 
glad  to  say,  however,  that  nowadays  we  seldom 
come  across  any  of  those  horrible  cases  of  ter- 
tiary syphilis.  In  fact,  a large  percentage  of  pa- 
tients escape  the  tertiary  stage  altogether.  This 
is  due  to  the  improvement  in  our  treatment,  to 
the  fact  that  patients  apply  earlier  to  the  physi- 
cian, to  the  general  improvement  in  the  people’s 
economic  condition,  and  their  knowledge  of  gen- 
eral hygiene.  The  people  as  a whole  are  cleaner, 
and  their  intelligence  being  of  a higher  level,  they 
are  both  anxious  and  able  to  follow  the  physi- 
cian’s instructions  more  faithfully  and  more  intel- 
ligently. A syphilitic  patient  who  refuses  to  fol- 


138  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


low  instructions  should  be  dismissed  without 
much  ceremony.  The  responsibility  is  too  great. 

LOCOMOTOR  ATAXIA  AND  GENERAL  PARESIS 

Two  more  diseases  which  are  caused  by  syph- 
ilis must  be  mentioned.  They  are  locomotor 
ataxia,  also  called  tabes  or  tabes  dorsalis,  and 
paresis  or  general  paresis,  also  called  general 
paralysis  of  the  insane.  Not  every  case  of  loco- 
motor ataxia  or  general  paresis  is  caused  by  syph- 
ilis, but  the  vast  majority  are. 

Locomotor  ataxia  may  come  on  twenty  or  thirty 
years  after  the  syphilitic  infection.  It  is  a slow 
insidious  disease,  and  is  due  to  a hardening  of 
the  spinal  cord.  Very  few  people  are  not  familiar 
with  one  or  more  ataxic  patients.  They  are  easily 
recognized  by  their  peculiar  jerky  and  dragging 
walk — the  so-called  tabetic  gait.  The  patient’s 
feet  lose  the  proper  sense  of  locomotion;  when 
he  wants  to  walk  he  raises  the  feet  too  high  and 
then  he  flops  them  down  on  the  ground  too  far. 
When  his  eyes  are  shut  he  cannot  tell  exactly 
where  his  feet  are,  and  he  cannot  stand  without 
swaying.  The  lightning  pains  which  the  patient 
has  in  his  stomach  as  if  a knife  was  turned  in 
him,  or  around  the  abdomen,  as  if  an  iron  girdle 


SYPHILIS 


139 


were  put  around  him,  is  another  distressing  fea- 
ture of  locomotor  ataxia.  After  a while — it  may 
be  only  two  or  three  years  or  it  may  be  ten  or 
twenty — the  patient  loses  control  of  his  urine  and 
feces,  and  then  he  is  a burden  to  himself  and  to 
others,  and  he  prays  for  death  to  deliver  him. 

The  treatment  of  locomotor  ataxia  has  been 
very  unsatisfactory  until  recently,  and  the  out- 
look was  indeed  a gloomy  one.  Lately  since  we 
have  begun  to  treat  it  by  injections  directly  into 
the  spinal  canal,  the  outlook  is  somewhat  more 
hopeful. 

General  paresis  or  general  paralysis  of  the  in- 
sane is  due  to  a softening  of  the  brain  and  de- 
generation of  the  spinal  cord.  The  patient  grad- 
ually loses  his  mind — first  he  becomes  eccentric, 
then  silly,  then  crazy.  As  a rule  the  patient  dies 
in  about  three  years  after  the  commencement  of 
the  disease — which  is  a pity.  For  it  would  be 
much  better  for  the  patient  and  his  friends  and 
relatives,  if  he  died  in  three  weeks,  or  in  three 
days.  The  saddest  spectacle  in  all  the  world  is  a 
man  afflicted  with  general  paresis.  If  there  is  a 
disease  in  which  euthanasia  is  indicated,  general 
paresis  is  one.  It  would  be  a kindness  to  the  suf- 
ferer and  to  those  around  him  if  it  were  permit- 
ted. And  it  is  certainly  cruelty  in  the  highest  de- 


140  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


gree  to  let  the  lunatic  suffer  until  he  dies  from 
exhaustion. 

There  is  no  treatment  for  general  paresis. 
Even  the  latest  treatment  by  direct  intraspinous 
injection  has  no  real  success  to  its  credit.  Occa- 
sional remissions  and  temporary  improvements 
— yes;  but  we  have  these  without  any  treatment 
whatever. 


Chapter  Sixteen 


HEREDITARY  SYPHILIS 

HEREDITARY  Syphilis  is  sometimes  spoken 
of  as  congenital,  but  this  is  incorrect. 
We  use  the  term  congenital  syphilis  when 
the  child  is  born  with  the  symptoms  of 
the  disease,  with  sores,  ulcers,  etc.  In  he- 
reditary syphilis  the  child  may  look  perfectly 
well  and  healthy  when  born,  but  shows  signs 
of  the  disease  later  on;  maybe  in  a few 
weeks,  in  a few  months  or  in  a few  years.  The 
severity  of  hereditary  syphilis  depends  upon  the 
proximity  of  the  parents’  or  parent’s  infection. 
The  longer  the  time  from  the  father’s  or  mother’s 
infection  to  the  birth  of  the  child,  and  the  more 
energetic  the  parents’  treatment  has  been,  the 
milder  the  disease  in  the  child. 

As  stated  before,  a syphilitic  child  when  bom 
may  look  perfectly  healthy,  but  within  three 
weeks  to  three  months  the  symptoms  may  begin 
to  show  themselves.  One  of  the  first  symptoms  is 
snuffles;  the  child  keeps  on  constantly  snuffling  as 

141 


142  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


if  it  had  a severe  cold  in  its  little  head;  and  he 
cries  with  a peculiar  hoarse  cry.  Then  a rash 
with  blisters  and  fissures  makes  its  appearance 
on  the  soles  and  palms ; there  are  also  fissures  on 
the  lips  and  around  the  anus.  The  whole  little 
creature  acquires  after  a little  while  a pitiable  ap- 
pearance, becoming  thin,  pale,  and  looking  like  a 
dried-up  wizened  little  old  man.  In  former  years 
such  children  used  almost  invariably  to  die,  which 
was  a good  thing  for  them  and  for  society.  But 
now,  fortunately  or  unfortunately,  by  our  su- 
perior methods  of  treatments  we  save  a good 
many  of  them. 

When  syphilitic  children  reach  the  age  of  six, 
seven  or  eight,  they  are  apt  to  show  other  symp- 
toms. 

One  of  the  most  characteristic  symptoms  is  a 
certain  notching  of  the  upper  central  incisor 
teeth.  This  condition  was  first  described  by  Dr. 
Jonathan  Hutchinson,  a famous  London  physi- 
cian, and  such  teeth  are  known  as  Hutchinson’s 
teeth.  This  malformation  is  not  seen  in  the  tem- 
porary teeth ; only  in  the  permanent  or  secondary 
set.  Not  all  hereditary  syphilitics  have  Hutchin- 
son teeth,  but  when  present,  they  are  quite  charac- 
teristic. Another  frequent  symptom  of  heredi- 
tary syphilis  is  an  inflammation  of  the  cornea  of 


NOTCHED  UPPER  CENTRAL  INCISORS,  IN  A CASE  OP  HEREDITARY 
SYPHILIS 


SYPHILITIC  CHANCRE  OF  TONGUE 


HEREDITARY  SYPHILIS 


143 


the  eye — keratitis.  A permanent  opacity  may 
remain,  and  blindness  may  result.  A third  not 
infrequent  symptom  is  deafness,  which  may  come 
on  suddenly.  The  hearing  may  be  perfect,  but 
suddenly  when  the  child  is  anywhere  between 
eight  and  eighteen  years  old,  the  hearing  becomes 
impaired  and  total  deafness  may  result.  These 
three  symptoms:  Hutchinson’s  teeth,  inflamma- 
tion of  the  cornea  or  keratitis  and  deafness,  are 
called  the  diagnostic  triad  of  hereditary  syphilis. 

Syphilitic  children  should  never  be  nursed  by 
strange  wet-nurses,  because  of  the  great  danger 
of  infecting  the  nurse.  They  should  be  nursed 
by  their  own  mothers,  because  a mother  who  has 
given  birth  to  a syphilitic  child  has  herself  the 
disease,  no  matter  in  what  mild  form,  and  is  prac- 
tically immune  to  further  syphilitic  infection,  at 
least  from  the  child. 

THE  GRAVE  PROBLEM  OP  HEREDITARY  SYPHILIS 

If  all  syphilitically  infected  children  were  born 
dead  before  term  or  were  stillborn  at  term,  or 
showed  symptoms  of  the  disease  within  a few 
days  or  weeks  after  birth,  the  problem  of  heredi- 
tary syphilis  would  be  a comparatively  simple 
one.  Infants  showing  signs  of  the  disease  would 
be  treated  energetically  from  the  very  beginning, 


144  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOK  MEN 


and  would  either  die  or  get  over  the  disease.  But 
as  stated  before,  this  is  not  always  the  case. 
Many  children  born  of  syphilitic  parents  show  no 
signs  of  the  disease  until  ten,  fifteen  or  twenty 
years  perhaps,  and  some  do  not  even  show  it  until 
the  age  of  thirty  or  forty.  Apparently  in  perfect 
health,  they  all  at  once  begin  to  develop  eruptions 
or  ulcerations  or  begin  to  suffer  with  severe  head- 
aches, become  deaf,  begin  to  act  queerly  and  so 
forth.  And  such  cases  are  as  a rule  but  very 
slightly  amenable  to  treatment.  If  there  had  been 
a suspicion  that  the  children  were  infected,  op- 
portune treatment  might  have  prevented  the  de- 
velopment of  disastrous  symptoms. 

It  is  therefore  the  duty  of  parents  who  know 
themselves  to  have  been  infected  with  syphilis, 
and  who  with  or  without  the  consent  of  the  physi- 
cian gave  birth  to  children,  to  have  their  chil- 
dren’s blood  examined.  They  should  do  so  even 
if  they  were  told  positively  by  their  physician 
that  they  were  cured  of  the  disease.  Fortunately, 
we  have  now  a test  which  tells  us  with  a high  de- 
gree of  positiveness  whether  the  child  carries  in 
him  the  syphilitic  poison  or  not.  In  former  years 
all  we  had  to  go  by  was  the  external  appearance 
of  the  boy  or  girl.  If  they  looked  healthy  and 
showed  no  external  signs  of  the  disease,  we  con- 


HEREDITARY  SYPHILIS 


145 


sidered  them  free  from  syphilitic  infection.  Now 
the  Wassermann  blood  test  shows  ns  that  a per- 
son may  look  ever  so  well  and  still  harbor  the 
germs  or  the  poison  of  the  disease. 

I therefore  reiterate  that  in  any  case  where 
either  the  father  or  mother  or  both  once  suffered 
with  syphilis,  the  child  should  have  its  blood 
tested.  And  if  the  Wassermann  test  is  distinctly 
positive,  then  treatment  should  be  instituted.  By 
doing  this  we  may  avoid  great  disaster  in  the  fu- 
ture. 

I have  in  mind  a beautiful  young  girl  of  the  age 
of  fifteen,  who  was  the  picture  of  health  and  to  all 
appearances  a perfect  specimen  of  young  woman- 
hood. All  at  once  she  began  to  suffer  with  severe 
neuralgia  of  the  face  and  with  pain  in  the  nose. 
She  went  to  some  general  practitioner,  who  gave 
her  sprays  and  ointments  for  the  nose,  but  the 
condition  was  getting  worse,  very  rapidly  worse. 
Suddenly  an  ulceration  appeared  in  the  roof  of 
the  mouth  and  the  nose  sank  in.  She  then  went  to 
a specialist,  but  it  was  too  late  to  do  anything; 
the  soft  palate  ulcerated  away  and  the  nose,  both 
the  soft  and  the  bony  part,  was  completely  gone. 
She  also  became  blind  in  one  eye.  She  now  wears 
an  artificial  nose,  hut  what  her  feelings  are  can 
better  be  guessed  than  described.  The  doctor  who 


146  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


treated  her  first  did  not  go  to  the  trouble  to  try 
to  find  out  her  history.  Nobody  had  any  suspi- 
cion that  the  trouble  might  be  syphilitic.  The 
specialist,  however,  got  a clear  history  of  syphilis 
in  the  father;  in  fact,  the  father  had  died  of  pa- 
resis. 

Once  more  I reiterate:  all  children  whose  par- 
ents, either  one  or  both,  have  passed  through  a 
syphilitic  infection,  should  have  their  blood  ex- 
amined and  not  once,  but  several  times. 


Chapter  Seventeen 


THE  TREATMENT  OF  SYPHILIS 

I HAVE  not  considered  the  specific  treatment 
of  any  disease  in  this  book.  I do  not  think 
that  actual  treatment  of  disease  is  a proper  sub- 
ject for  lay  books.  First,  self-medication  is 
always  bad,  and  second,  a little  knowledge  is  a 
dangerous  thing,  particularly  in  medicine.  But  I 
must  say  a few  words  in  reference  to  the  treat- 
ment of  syphilis,  because  unfortunately  there  are 
a number  of  quacks  who  decry  the  use  of  mercury 
in  syphilis,  and  as  the  layman  is  not  always  suc- 
cessful in  differentiating  between  the  quack  and 
the  scientific  physician,  he  is  apt  to  be  influenced 
by  the  tirades  of  ignoramuses  against  mercury, 
and  refuse  to  use  it  when  afflicted  with  the  dis- 
ease. 

Those  who  write  against  the  use  of  mercury  in 
syphilis  are  perniciously  and  viciously  ignorant. 
Mercury  has  always  been,  and  still  remains  the 
best  and  surest  drug  we  have  in  the  treatment  of 
the  disease.  The  quacks  try  to  make  believe  that 

147 


148  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


many  of  the  symptoms,  such  as  the  eruptions, 
ulcers,  locomotor  ataxia,  etc.,  are  due  not  to  syph- 
ilis, but  to  the  mercury  used  in  the  treatment. 

The  falseness  of  this  assertion  can  he  shown 
at  once,  when  I tell  you  that  some  of  the  worst 
cases  of  ulcerated  bones,  spinal  disease,  etc.,  are 
found  in  patients  who  never  took  a grain  of  mer- 
cury. Many  hundreds  of  such  cases  were  collected 
by  Fournier,  and  every  specialist  with  a large 
practise  has  seen  such  cases.  And  anybody  who 
has  seen  the  rapid  improvement,  almost  immedi- 
ate disappearance  of  many  of  the  symptoms  of 
syphilis  under  the  proper  use  of  mercury,  will  not 
question  the  value  of  this  drug. 

Another  proof  of  the  great  value  of  mercury 
in  the  treatment  of  syphilis  we  have  if  we  watch 
the  course  of  various  pregnancies  in  syphilitic 
women.  As  is  well  known,  the  woman  who  is  in- 
fected with  syphilis  is  very  apt  to  abort.  With- 
out treatment  she  may  abort  half  a dozen  times 
or  more  in  succession,  or  if  she  gives  birth  to  a 
child  at  term  it  is  stillborn,  or  if  it  isn’t  stillborn 
it  may  show  the  signs  of  syphilis  within  a few 
weeks  after  birth.  But  if  such  a woman  is  sub- 
jected to  a vigorous  course  of  mercury,  a marked 
change  takes  place  almost  at  once.  She  stops  hav- 
ing abortions  and  the  child  that  is  born  at  term 


THE  TKEATMENT  OF  SYPHILIS  149 


is  born  without  any  signs  of  disease  and  may 
never  show  any  signs  of  disease  as  long  as  it  lives. 

Yes,  if  any  proofs  of  the  value  of  mercury  in 
syphilis  were  needed,  we  could  get  them  by  observ- 
ing the  influence  of  mercury  on  successive  preg- 
nancies, and  by  the  gradual  improvement  in  the 
children  that  are  born. 

The  drug  next  in  value  in  the  treatment  of 
syphilis  is  salvarsan,  also  known  as  606,  or  ar- 
senobenzol.  While  this  drug  has  not  proven  such 
a miracle  as  some  over-enthusiastic  doctors  at 
first  thought  it  would,  still  it  is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  drugs  we  possess.  But  we  do  not  de- 
pend upon  it  alone  in  the  treatment  of  syphilis. 
We  simply  use  it  as  an  adjuvant  to  mercury. 

The  third  valuable  drug  in  the  treatment  of 
syphilis  is  potassium  iodide,  or  iodine  in  some 
other  form.  These  three  drugs  constitute  the 
foundation  stones  of  the  treatment  of  syphilis. 
And  in  the  hands  of  the  experienced  physician, 
practically  every  case  of  syphilis  can  be  handled 
successfully. 

Of  course  the  drug  treatment  alone  does  not 
constitute  all  there  is  to  the  treatment  of  syphilis. 
The  patient’s  general  health  must  be  kept  up  to 
the  highest  point.  He  must  have  good  nutritious 
food,  take  hot  baths,  particularly  sulphur  baths , 


150  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


frequently;  must  have  plenty  of  fresh  air,  not 
overwork  himself  mentally  or  physically  in  any 
shape  or  form,  and  last  but  not  least,  he  must  keep 
his  mouth  and  teeth  in  perfect  condition. 

If  all  these  things  are  attended  to  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  infection,  syphilis  is  not  a difficult 
disease  to  manage.  The  chief  thing  is  to  begin 
the  treatment  at  once  as  soon  as  the  chancre  has 
made  its  appearance.  Every  day  lost  in  the  be- 
ginning counts.  And  when  a patient  neglects  the 
first  year  or  two  of  his  disease,  and  comes  to  us 
with  severe  sores  and  ulcerations,  then  he  cannot 
expect  to  get  along  so  well  as  he  would  if  he  had 
come  on  the  day  he  became  sick. 

HOW  LONG  MUST  THE  TREATMENT  LAST? 

A patient  may  suspect  that  he  has  syphilis,  hut 
still  when  the  doctor’s  diagnosis  makes  this  sus- 
picion a certainty,  he  gets  a severe  shock.  Prob- 
ably the  severest  shock  he  has  ever  had,  or  is 
likely  to  have  in  his  life.  But  as  soon  as  he  gets 
over  the  shock,  more  or  less,  the  first  question  he 
is  pretty  sure  to  ask  is : How  long  will  I have  to 
be  treated?  To  this  question  my  answer  always 
is:  As  long  as  necessary. 

Syphilis  is  not  a disease  with  a definite  course, 
and  we  cannot  lay  down  definite  rules  as  to  the 


THE  TREATMENT  OF  SYPHILIS  151 


length  of  treatment.  It  all  depends  upon  the  se- 
verity of  the  disease,  the  patient’s  constitution, 
his  age,  his  economic  condition,  and  the  course 
which  the  disease  is  pursuing.  No  two  persons 
are  alike  in  this  respect.  In  some  people  syphilis 
is  a comparatively  mild  affection,  in  others  it  is 
one  of  the  most  horrible  of  all  diseases. 

As  a general  thing  we  may  say  that  we  prefer 
now  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  and  we  subject  our 
syphilitic  patients  to  a longer  course  of  treatment 
than  we  used  to  formerly,  and  for  the  following 
reason : 

Many  patients  who  show  no  symptoms  of  the 
disease,  and  whom  in  former  years  we  would  have 
discharged  as  cured,  are  now  shown  by  the  Was- 
sermann  test  to  still  harbor  the  germ  or  the  toxin 
of  the  disease. 

Taking  an  average  case  of  syphilis,  a case  of 
medium  severity,  it  is  best  that  the  patient  should 
take  treatment  regularly  for  three  years,  with 
some  intermission  perhaps  during  the  third  year. 
He  also  should  come  to  the  physician  during  the 
fourth  or  fifth  year  for  a brief  course  of  treat- 
ment. And  it  would  be  a good  thing  if  patients 
who  once  suffered  with  syphilis  made  it  a rule  to 
come  to  the  physician’s  office  once  a year  for  an 
examination  for  the  rest  of  their  lives.  It  can- 


152  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


not  do  them  any  harm,  and  the  physician  noting 
some  danger  signal  may  save  the  patient  from  a 
recurrence  of  some  syphilitic  lesion  or  the  devel- 
opment of  some  nervous  trouble. 

THE  WASSERMANN  TEST 

Most  laymen,  particularly  those  who  are  the 
victims  of  syphilis,  have  heard  of  the  Wasser- 
mann  test,  and  of  course  as  usual  they  are  apt  to 
have  an  erroneous  idea  about  it.  Some  think  that 
it  is  100  per  cent,  sure,  and  if  the  report  of  the 
Wassermann  blood  test  comes  back  as  negative, 
they  think  they  are  all  right,  and  may  stop  all 
treatment.  This  is  not  so.  The  Wassermann  test 
is  a very  valuable  test.  It  is  the  most  important 
test  we  have  for  syphilis,  but  it  is  not  an  absolute 
test.  It  is  only  correct  in  about  85  per  cent,  of 
cases;  in  other  words,  in  about  15  per  cent,  of 
cases  a Wassermann  may  come  back  positive 
when  the  patient  has  not  the  disease,  or  it  may 
be  negative  when  the  patient  does  have  the  dis- 
ease. 

It  is,  however,  a very  dangerous  thing  to  rely 
upon  the  findings  of  the  Wassermann  test  alone, 
particularly  one  test.  The  Wassermann  is  very 
valuable,  but  only  if  taken  in  connection  with  the 
entire  history,  symptoms  and  general  condition 


THE  TREATMENT  OF  SYPHILIS  153 


of  the  patient.  Only  an  experienced  physician 
is  able  to  assign  the  proper  value  to  this  test. 
And  only  after  a patient  has  taken  the  proper 
treatment  for  the  proper  length  of  time,  has 
shown  no  symptoms  whatever  for  a certain  period 
of  time,  say  a year,  and  only  after  several  suc- 
cessive Wassermann  tests  have  proven  negative, 
do  we  pronounce  him  cured.  But  even  after  be- 
ing pronounced  cured,  he  must  still  take  care  of 
himself,  and  come  to  the  physician  once  a year  for 
many  years  to  come,  for  a thorough,  complete 
examination. 


Chapter  Eighteen 


CHANCROIDS 


HANCROID,  also  called  soft  chancre  or  soft 


sore  (to  distinguish  it  from  syphilitic  chan- 
cre, which  is  called  hard  chancre  or  hard  sore),  is 
a small  ulcer  usually  occurring  on  the  genitals. 
It  is  very  infectious,  and  what  is  more  it  is  auto- 
infectious  or  awfo-inoculable,  that  is,  if  the  pus  of 
the  chancroid  touches  a delicate  part  of  the  per- 
son’s own  skin  or  mucous  membrane  he  is  apt 
to  get  another  chancroid.  While  chancres  are 
usually  single , chancroids  are  usually  multiple, 
that  is,  a person  usually  has  several  chancroids  at 
the. same  time.  He  may  have  dozens  of  them. 
Chancroid  is  also  due  to  a special  germ,  dis- 
covered by  Dr.  Ducrey  and  Dr.  Unna,  and  there- 
fore called  the  Ducrey-Unna  bacillus,  but  it  is  a 
germ  that  lives  in  filth,  and  it  is  as  a rule  only  the 
poorest  kind  of  prostitutes  that  suffer  with  them, 
and  only  men  consorting  with  the  dirtiest  kind  of 
prostitutes  that  contract  them.  Chancroids  are 
seen  often  in  the  poor  dispensaries,  but  seldom 
nowadays  in  private  practise. 


155 


156  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


The  little  ulcers  or  sores  begin  as  yellow  spots 
surrounded  by  a red  border;  these  spots  become 
pimples  and  then  they  fill  with  pus,  when  they  are 
called  pustules ; they  burst  and  discharge  a little 
bloody  pus,  becoming  an  open  sore  or  ulcer,  with 
a base  which  feels  soft  to  the  finger  (hence  it  is 
called  soft  sore  or  soft  chancre;  the  chancre  of 
syphilis  has  a hard  base).  Chancroids  have  a 
very  short  incubation  period;  that  is,  they  may 
make  their  appearance  in  12  to  24  hours  after 
intercourse.  (Gonorrhea  and  syphilis  as  we  know 
take  several  days  to  develop.) 

Chancroid  is  a purely  local  disease,  that  is  it 
does  not  atf ect  the  system  the  way  syphilis  does ; 
and  if  properly  treated  can  be  quickly  and  surely 
cured.  But  if  improperly  treated,  if  the  patient 
tries  to  treat  himself,  or  puts  himself  into  the 
hands  of  a quack,  the  condition  may  become  very 
serious.  It  keeps  on  spreading,  getting  worse  and 
worse,  until  a portion  of  the  penis  is  destroyed. 
I have  seen  cases  in  which  almost  the  entire  glans 
was  eaten  away. 

BUBO 

A very  frequent  complication  of  chancroid,  par- 
ticularly in  neglected  or  maltreated  cases,  is  “bu- 


CHANCROIDS 


157 


bo,”  or  swollen  glands  in  the  groin.  The  glands 
become  large,  soft,  and  the  skin  over  them  is  very 
red.  A bubo  (vulgarly  called  blue-ball)  which 
results  from  chancroid  is  very  painful  (a  bubo 
which  results  from  chancre  is  painless)  so  that 
the  patient  is  hardly  able  to  walk,  and  often  ends 
in  suppuration  and  the  discharge  of  pus.  When 
this  happens  it  may  take  months  before  every- 
thing is  healed  up. 

It  is  necessary  to  bear  in  mind  that  there  is 
such  a thing  as  mixed  infection.  That  is,  a person 
may  have  a chancre  and  a chancroid  at  the  same 
time,  and  where  this  is  the  case  the  diagnosis  be- 
comes very  difficult,  for  the  ulcer  may  be  soft  and 
still  it  may  consist  of  both  chancral  and  chan- 
croidal ulcerations.  We  therefore  make  it  now  an 
invariable  rule  to  make  a Wassermann  examina- 
tion of  the  blood  in  every  case  of  chancroid,  even 
if  the  diagnosis  of  chancroid  seems  perfectly  plain 
and  sure.  It  is  always  better  to  be  on  the  safe 
side  and  it  is  better  to  be  over  anxious  than  not 
anxious  enough. 

We  have  seen  many  cases  that  were  diagnosed 
as  chancroid  or  soft  sore,  but  which  proved  to 
be  syphilitic  on  a Wassermann  examination,  and 
by  the  eruptions  and  ulcerations  which  they  later 
developed. 


158  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


It  is  only  the  man  with  little  knowledge  who  is 
positive  and  cocksure.  The  more  a man  knows, 
the  more  cautious  and  the  less  dogmatic  he  is. 


Chapter  Nineteen 


VENEREAL  DISEASE  AND  MATRIMONY 

IN  former  years  when  a man  who  had  suffered 
from  gonorrhea  or  syphilis  became  free  from 
any  visible  symptoms  of  disease,  he  considered 
himself  perfectly  fit  to  marry,  and  even  physi- 
cians gave  their  sanction  to  marry  when  the  gon- 
orrheal discharge  was  all  dried  up,  or  when  there 
were  no  syphilitic  skin  lesions  or  mucous  patches. 
Now  not  only  the  medical  profession,  but  even  a 
greater  part  of  the  laity,  knows  better  than  that. 

Such  books  as  Brieux’s  “Damaged  Goods”  or 
the  author’s  “Never  Told  Tales,”  which  was  the 
first  book  of  its  kind  in  any  language,  and  numer- 
ous lectures  and  pamphlets  have  taught  the  people 
to  be  careful.  They  have  learned  that  a man 
may  apparently  be  free  from  any  symptoms  of 
disease,  and  still  be  very  infectious  to  his  wife. 

The  man  who  is  brute  enough  to  knowingly  sub- 
ject his  wife  to  the  danger  of  infection  with  gon- 
orrhea or  syphilis  does  exist,  but  he  is  fortunately 
a rare  specimen.  The  majority  of  men  are  decent, 

159 


160  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


and  since  they  have  learned  that  a man  who  once 
suffered  with  venereal  disease  may  afterward  still 
be  dangerous  unless  he  is  pronounced  safe  by  a 
competent  authority,  they  are  taking  means  to 
make  sure  that  they  are  safe.  It  has  therefore 
become  quite  a common  practise  for  men  who  once 
suffered  with  venereal  disease,  no  matter  in  how 
mild  a form,  to  apply  to  a physician  for  an  exam- 
ination, which  will  show  definitely  whether  or  not 
it  is  safe  for  them  to  get  married. 

There  is  no  short  road  to  a positive  opinion. 
It  requires  a thorough,  painstaking  examination 
at  the  hands  of  an  experienced  physician  to  tell 
whether  a man  who  once  suffered  with  gonorrhea 
or  syphilis  is  perfectly  safe  or  not  to  enter  the 
bonds  of  matrimony.  Sometimes  several  exami- 
nations are  required.  But  the  opinion  of  a con- 
scientious experienced  physician  can  always  be 
relied  upon,  and  if  all  men  who  once  suffered  with 
any  venereal  disease  would  seek  for  and  be  guided 
by  such  an  opinion,  there  would  be  no  cases  of 
marital  infection. 

WHEN  MAY  A GONORRHEAL  PATIENT  BE  PRONOUNCED 
CURED  ? 

For  a man  who  once  suffered  with  gonorrhea 
to  be  pronounced  cured,  the  following  conditions 
must  be  present. 


DISEASE  AND  MATRIMONY 


161 


1.  There  must  be  no  discharge. 

2:  The  urine  must  he  perfectly  clear,  free  from 
shreds. 

3.  The  secretion  from  the  prostate  obtained  by 
prostatic  massage,  and  from  the  seminal  vesicles 
obtained  by  “milking”  or  “stripping”  the  vesi- 
cles, must  be  free  from  pus  and  from  gonococci. 
To  make  sure  it  is  best  to  make  three  such  exam- 
inations at  different  times. 

4.  There  must  be  no  stricture  and  no  patches  in 
the  urethra. 

5.  What  we  call  the  complement  fixation  test, 
which  is  a blood  test  for  gonorrhea,  similar  to 
the  Wassermann  blood  test  for  syphilis,  must  be 
negative. 

Referring  to  conditions  1 and  2,  it  sometimes 
happens  that  the  patient  has  a minute  amount  of 
discharge  or  a few  small  shreds  in  the  urine,  and 
we  still  permit  him  to  marry,  but  this  is  done  only 
after  the  discharge  and  shred  have  been  repeat- 
edly examined  and  have  been  found  to  be  catarrhal 
in  character  and  absolutely  free  from  any  gono- 
cocci or  other  germs. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  a patient  comes  to 
us  for  an  examination  a few  days  before  the  date 
set  for  the  wedding.  We  examine  him  and  find 
that  he  is  not  a safe  person  to  marry,  and  we 


162  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


advise  him  to  delay  the  wedding.  Sometimes  he 
follows  the  advice,  but  in  some  cases  he  is  unable 
to  do  so.  He  claims  the  wedding  has  been  ar- 
ranged, the  invitation  cards  have  been  sent  out, 
and  to  delay  the  wedding  would  lead  to  endless 
trouble  and  perhaps  scandal.  In  such  cases  we  of 
course  assume  no  responsibility,  but  we  do  advise 
the  patient  to  use  an  antiseptic  suppository  or 
some  other  method  which  saves  the  bride  from  in- 
fection for  the  time  being,  while  the  husband  has 
a chance  to  treat  himself  until  he  is  cured.  Of 
the  many  cases  in  which  I advised  this  method  I 
do  not  know  of  one  in  which  infection  has  taken 
place. 

WHEN  MAY  A SYPHILITIC  MARRY? 

1.  I would  make  it  an  invariable  rule  that  no 
syphilitic  patient  should  marry  or  should  be  per- 
mitted to  marry  before  five  years  have  elapsed 
from  the  day  of  infection.  But  the  period  of  time 
alone  is  not  sufficient;  other  conditions  are  neces- 
sary before  we  may  give  a syphilitic  patient  per- 
mission to  marry. 

2.  He  must  have  received  thorough  systematic 
treatment  for  at  least  two  or  three  years,  either 
constantly  or  off  and  on  according  to  the  physi- 
cian’s judgment. 


DISEASE  AND  MATRIMONY  163 


3.  For  at  least  one  year  before  the  intended 
marriage,  the  patient  must  have  been  absolutely 
free  from  any  manifestations  of  syphilis,  that  is, 
from  any  eruptions  on  the  skin,  from  any  mucous 
patches,  swelling  in  the  bones,  ulcerations,  etc. 

4.  Four  Wassermann  tests  taken  at  intervals  of 
three  months,  and  at  a time  when  the  patient  was 
receiving  no  specific  treatment,  must  be  absolutely 
negative. 

If  these  four  conditions  are  complied  with,  the 
patient  may  be  permitted  to  marry.  It  is  im- 
portant to  state  that  in  giving  our  permission  or 
refusal  to  a syphilitic  patient  to  marry,  we  are 
guided  to  a great  extent  by  the  fact  whether  he 
expects  to  have  children  soon  or  not.  In  the  case 
of  a couple  who  are  anxious  to  have  children  soon 
after  their  marriage,  the  conditions  for  our  per- 
mission must  be  much  more  severe  than  in  the 
case  where  the  couple  is  willing  or  anxious  to  use 
contraceptive  measures  for  the  first  years  of  their 
married  life.  For  if  a man  is  free  from  any  skin 
disease  and  from  any  mucous  patches  his  wife  is 
safe  from  infection  as  long  as  she  does  not  get 
pregnant.  But  if  she  does  get  pregnant  she  may 
become  infected  through  the  fetus,  and  of  course 
the  child  is  also  apt  to  be  syphilitic.  Hence,  much 
stricter  requirements  for  a syphilitic  who  expects 


164  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


to  become  a father  are  necessary  than  for  one 
who  does  not. 

As  to  the  value  of  the  testing  of  the  cerebro- 
spinal fluid,  as  a guide  in  permitting  or  refusing 
marriage,  the  entire  question  is  still  sub  judice. 


Chapter  Twenty 


VENEREAL  DISEASE  AND  QUACKERY 

SEVERAL  times  in  tlie  course  of  this  book  I 
have  felt  impelled  to  sound  a warning  against 
the  various  advertising  quacks,  medical  institu- 
tions, mail  order  concerns  and  “museums  for  men 
only”  which  infest  this  country.  If  I do  so  once 
more  in  a special  chapter  it  is  because  I wish  to 
impress  the  matter  very  strongly  upon  the  minds 
of  my  readers.  I feel  very  strongly  on  the  sub- 
ject, and  if  you  were  as  familiar  with  the  rascali- 
ties of  the  quacks  as  I am,  you  would  feel  the 
same  way. 

Quacks  of  all  kinds  are  a menace  to  the  public, 
but  the  venereal  and  “lost  manhood”  quacks  are 
a double  menace.  Not  only  do  they  fail  to  cure 
the  patient,  but  they  often  make  him  worse.  And 
in  many  cases  they  deliberately  induce  a disease 
which  the  patient  did  not  have  before.  Not  only 
do  they  ruin  his  health,  they  weaken  and  pervert 
his  mind,  making  him  the  subject  of  groundless 
fears  of  which  he  may  not  be  able  to  rid  himself 

165 


166  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


for  years  and  years  to  come.  And  then  they  often 
act  the  part  of  blackmailers,  robbing  the  patient 
of  his  very  last  dollar,  knowing  that  the  patient 
with  a venereal  or  sexual  disease  is,  above  all, 
anxious  to  avoid  publicity. 

They  are  utterly  heartless  in  their  demands  of 
money,  often  going  so  far  as  to  threaten  the  pa- 
tient with  exposure.  I could  relate  a hundred  of 
the  most  heartrending  stories  of  dishonesty  and 
heartlessness  of  the  quacks  that  came  to  my  per- 
sonal notice,  but  two  or  three  will  have  to  suffice. 

Case  One.  A young  foreigner  who  had  not  even 
exposed  himself  to  infection  noticed  a little  pim- 
ple on  the  penis.  He  got  frightened  and  noticing 
the  advertisement  in  a newspaper  of  a great 
“specialist”  who  promised  to  cure  all  diseases  of 
men  in  a few  days,  and  stating  that  consultation 
was  absolutely  free,  he  applied  to  him.  The  quack 
examined  him,  told  him  that  he  had  syphilis,  and 
that  he  must  start  treatment  at  once.  He  agreed 
to  cure  him  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in 
advance.  The  patient  had  no  such  amount  of 
money  with  him,  but  he  did  have  ten  dollars, 
which  he  delivered  up  to  the  quack  and  agreed  to 
pay  ten  dollars  every  week.  On  leaving  the  office 
he  became  somewhat  suspicious;  the  quack’s  man- 
ner and  his  eagerness  for  the  money,  no  matter 


DISEASE  AND  QUACKERY  167 

how  much  or  how  little  he  had  with  him,  appeared 
to  him  in  the  right  light,  and  he  decided  to  inquire 
for  a reputable  physician. 

When  I examined  him  I found  that  there  was 
absolutely  nothing  the  matter  with  him,  that  the 
pimple  did  not  amount  to  anything,  a little  bis- 
muth powder  dried  it  up  in  twenty-four  hours 
and  he  never  had  any  symptoms  since. 

Case  Two.  This  concerns  a young  man  who  got 
what  he  thought  was  a gonorrhea.  He  went  to  a 
quack  who  advertises  in  a number  of  newspapers 
and  the  quack  agreed  to  cure  him  for  one  hundred 
dollars  and  obtained  fifty  dollars  in  advance.  He 
treated  him  for  three  months,  and  during  the  en- 
tire time  the  condition  was  getting  gradually 
worse  and  worse.  In  the  meantime  he  obtained 
the  other  fifty  dollars  and  when  the  patient  re- 
monstrated with  him  about  his  condition,  he  told 
him  that  he  knew  what  he  was  doing,  and  if  he 
did  not  like  it,  he  should  get  out.  Finally  the 
patient’s  condition  became  so  bad  that  he  was 
unable  to  pass  any  urine.  He  then  consulted  a 
friend  who  brought  him  up  to  me,  and  when  I 
examined  him  I found  that  he  was  not  suffering 
with  gonorrhea  at  all,  but  that  he  had  a chancre 
in  the  urethra.  The  case  was  perfectly  clear,  and 
the  syphilitic  eruption  was  all  over  his  body.  Not 


168  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


only  did  the  poor  fellow  lose  one  hundred  dollars 
of  his  hard-earned  money,  but  he  lost  several 
months  of  valuable  time  in  which  the  syphilis  was 
making  rapid  progress  because  uninfluenced  by 
proper  treatment. 

Cases  in  which  a simple  little  eczema  was  de- 
clared by  the  quacks  to  be  syphilis,  cases  in  which 
varicocele  and  stricture  were  diagnosed  by  the 
quack  where  none  existed,  cases  in  which  opera- 
tions, useless  and  unnecessary,  were  advised  and 
often  performed  by  quacks,  can  be  related  by  the 
thousands,  but  they  would  be  monotonous  by  their 
repetition.  All  I can  say  is,  as  you  value  your 
health,  your  life,  your  manhood  and  your  peace  of 
mind,  avoid  quacks,  mail  order  concerns,  museums 
for  men,  and  medical  institutions  that  advertise 
themselves  as  specialists  in  the  treatment  of 
venereal  diseases  and  lost  manhood. 

Case  Three.  A boy  of  seventeen  had  been  in- 
dulging occasionally  in  masturbation.  There  was 
absolutely  nothing  the  matter  with  him,  and  he 
was  feeling  all  right.  Unfortunately,  one  of  the 
quack  booklets,  distributed  by  the  sharks  who  run 
the  “museums  for  men  only,”  fell  into  his  hands. 
He  read,  and  the  more  he  read  the  more  fright- 
ened he  got.  He  read  that  any  one  indulging  in 
the  “outrageous  secret  sin  of  Onan”  was  apt  to 


DISEASE  AND  QUACKERY  169 

get  tuberculosis,  anemia,  epilepsy,  heart  trouble, 
and  worst  of  all,  insanity,  “the  insane  asylums 
being  filled  with  such  subjects.”  He  was  told  in 
the  quack  booklet  that  a sure  sign  that  he  was 
losing  his  vital  fluid  was  to  look  in  the  urine,  after 
it  stood  for  several  hours,  and  see  if  it  contained 
a cloudy  sediment.  He  did  look  and  did  find  a 
heavy,  cloudy  sediment.  Now  he  was  frightened 
to  death.  As  a matter  of  fact,  we  all  know  that 
anybody’s  urine,  the  urine  of  the  healthiest  man, 
will,  if  standing  for  some  time,  particularly  in  a 
cool  place,  give  a heavy  deposit.  But  the  poor 
boy  did  not  know  that,  and  so  he  went  to  the  quack 
for  months  and  months,  giving  away  every  dollar 
he  could  save  or  borrow,  selling  his  expensive 
watch,  and  telling  his  parents  that  he  was  robbed 
of  it,  and  all  the  time  he  was  swallowing  nasty 
stuff,  which  ruined  his  stomach  and  brought  out 
pimples  all  over  his  face.  He  was  becoming  irrit- 
able, depressed,  melancholic.  After  several 
months  of  this  kind  of  robbery  and  malpractise, 
he  consulted  a decent  physician,  who  gave  him 
the  correct  information,  and  in  about  a week  he 
was  as  well  as  he  ever  was  before  the  quack  pam- 
phlet got  into  his  hands.  The  indiscriminate  dis- 
tribution of  these  quack  pamphlets  to  unsuspect- 
ing boys  and  young  men  should  certainly  be  made 
a criminal  offense. 


( 


Chapter  Twenty-One 


MINOR  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  GENITAL 
ORGANS 

PHIMOSIS 

PHIMOSIS  is  a narrowing  or  contracting  of 
the  prepuce,  or  foreskin,  so  that  it  cannot  he 
pulled  bach  or  retracted,  and  the  glans  cannot  be 
uncovered.  Some  boys  are  born  with  this  condi- 
tion, and  such  boys  should  be  circumcised  without 
fail.  For  if  not  circumcised  the  secretion  from 
the  glans  accumulates  and  may  in  time  produce 
inflammation  or  ulceration  of  the  glans  penis.  In 
some  cases  little  concretions  like  stones  form  and 
they  are  very  irritating  and  may  even  interfere 
with  the  proper  performance  of  the  sexual  act. 
Phimosis  may  also  be  caused  by  gonorrhea,  chan- 
cre and  chancroid.  Whenever  it  does  occur  in 
the  course  of  these  diseases,  it  makes  the  treat- 
ment of  the  latter  more  difficult  and  more  unsatis- 
factory, and  in  order  to  obtain  good  results  we 
are  often  forced  to  perform  circumcision. 

171 


172  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


PARAPHIMOSIS 

Paraphimosis  is  the  opposite  of  phimosis ; it  is 
a term  applied  to  a condition  in  which  the  prepuce 
is  caught  behind  the  corona  of  the  glans,  and  can- 
not be  pulled  forward  over  the  glans.  It  sur- 
rounds the  penis  like  a tight  cord.  This  condition 
may  become  very  dangerous,  as  the  glans  becomes 
puffy,  reddish  blue,  and  unless  relieved  may  be- 
come gangrenous.  It  may  also  be  extremely  pain- 
ful, and  interfere  with  micturition.  Fortunately 
most  cases  are  easily  reducible  by  the  experienced 
physician. 

BALANITIS 

Balanitis  is  an  inflammation  of  the  glans  penis. 
It  is  derived  from  the  Greek  word  balanos,  which 
means  acorn,  and  refers  to  the  shape  of  the  glans. 
It  may  occur  as  the  result  of  coitus  with  a woman 
having  an  irritating  discharge,  but  generally  it  is 
the  result  of  lack  of  cleanliness,  particularly  in 
people  with  a long  and  narrow  foreskin. 

Posthitis  is  an  inflammation  of  the  prepuce. 
(From  the  Greek,  posthe — prepuce.) 

Balano-posthitis  is  applied  to  an  inflammation 
of  both  the  glans  and  the  prepuce. 

Here  we  have  three  affections — phimosis,  para- 
phimosis and  posthitis — which  can  be  completely 


AFFECTIONS  OF  GENITAL  ORGANS  173 


avoided  by  timely  circumcision.  Balanitis  is  also 
a much  rarer  and  a much  milder  affection  in  the 
circumcised  than  in  the  non-circumcised.  And  he 
who  has  seen  some  severe  cases  of  phimosis  and 
paraphimosis — which  threaten  the  very  integrity 
of  the  male  organ — will  not  have  much  doubt  that 
the  law-giver  who  ordained  the  circumcision  of 
all  male  infants  was  also  a pretty  good  hygienist. 
And  the  fact  that  more  and  more  people,  outside 
of  the  Jewish  and  Mohammedan  races,  subject 
themselves  to  circumcision  points  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  hygienic  utility  of  this  measure  is  becom- 
ing universally  recognized. 

ADENITIS,  LYMPHADENITIS  ( INGUINAL  ADENITIS, 

bubo) 

In  severe  cases  of  gonorrhea,  syphilis  and  chan- 
croid, particularly  when  the  patient  is  obliged  to 
do  a good  deal  of  walking  and  lifting,  the  inguinal 
glands  are  apt  to  become  inflamed  and  swollen, 
and  adenitis  or  inguinal  adenitis  or  bubo  is  a term 
applied  to  swollen  glands  in  the  groin.  Bubo  is 
much  more  frequent  in  syphilis  or  chancroids 
than  in  gonorrhea. 

PAINFUL  EEECTIONS  AND  CHORDEE 

In  a person  suffering  with  gonorrhea,  it  is  nat- 
ural that  the  congestion  and  irritation  of  the  ure- 


174  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


thral  canal  should  be  the  cause  of  frequent  and 
prolonged  erections.  These  are  sometimes  the 
bane  of  the  patient  and  are  the  most  disagreeable 
and  most  painful  feature  of  his  gonorrheal  attack. 
While  they  are  most  frequent  at  night,  they  do 
occur  quite  frequently  in  the  daytime,  and  they 
may  be  exquisitely  painful.  If  frequent  and  per- 
sistent in  the  daytime,  they  put  the  patient  in  an 
embarrassing  position,  so  that  he  may  find  it 
difficult  to  attend  to  his  work  in  the  office,  store  or 
factory.  In  the  night  time  the  erections  are  fre- 
quently accompanied  by  pollutions,  which  are 
sluggish,  the  semen  oozing  out  slowly,  and  the 
urethral  inflammation  becomes  aggravated  by 
them.  The  erections  frequently  aggravate  the 
gonorrheal  inflammation,  and  retard  the  cure.  A 
vicious  circle  is  established,  as  is  so  frequently 
the  case  in  disease.  The  urethral  inflammation 
causes  the  erections,  and  the  erections  aggravate 
the  inflammation. 

The  term  chordee  is  sometimes  applied  to  these 
erections,  but  this  is  incorrect.  The  term  chordee 
is  properly  applied  only  to  erections  accompanied 
by  a curving  of  the  penis  downward.  The  condi- 
tion is  so  painful  that  the  patient  in  his  agony — 
and  in  his  foolishness — breaks  it.  That  is,  know- 
ing of  no  remedy  and  unable  to  bear  his  suffering, 


AFFECTIONS  OF  GENITAL  OEGANS  175 


lie  lays  the  penis  on  a table  or  a window-sill  and 
deals  it  a violent  blow  with  the  fist.  It  breaks  the 
chordee,  but  it  also  breaks  the  penis,  tears  the 
urethra,  and  this  is  accompanied  by  bleeding — 
sometimes  severe — and  the  formation  of  a stric- 
ture. 

But  painful  erections  and  cbordee  are  not  al- 
ways the  result  of  gonorrhea;  they  may  be  due 
to  any  other  inflammation  or  irritation ; they  may 
be  due  to  long  abstinence  in  vigorous  men,  and 
sometimes  no  apparent  cause  can  be  found. 


Chaptek  Twenty-Two 


HEBPES  OF  THE  GENITALS 

HEBPES  is  a rather  common  affection  of  the 
genitals.  It  consists  of  an  eruption  of 
several  small  vesicles  or  blisters,  which  either 
burst,  leaving  a raw  surface,  or  dry  up  and  dis- 
appear within  a short  time.  Herpes  is  often  due 
to  uncleanliness,  but  not  always  so,  for  it  occa- 
sionally appears  in  people  who  keep  their  genitals 
in  a scrupulously  clean  condition.  In  such  cases, 
we  consider  the  herpes  to  be  due  to  some  nervous 
disturbance.  Occasionally  it  is  due  to  an  irritat- 
ing discharge  in  the  woman,  and  some  men  will 
get  an  attack  of  herpes  each  time  they  have  inter- 
course with  a certain  woman,  but  will  not  get  it 
any  other  time.  Herpes  is  a mild  affection,  and 
disappears  by  itself  or  can  be  cured  in  a few 
hours  or  a few  days,  and  would  hardly  be  worth 
while  discussing  here  but  for  two  reasons. 

First,  when  the  vesicles  or  blisters  rupture  and 
leave  a raw  surface,  they  render  the  patient  more 
liable  to  infection  with  chancroid  and  syphilis. 

177 


178  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Any  raw  surface  is  a port  of  entry  for  the  germs. 
Therefore,  while  the  herpes  in  itself  is  a trifling 
affection,  it  must  be  treated  and  its  attacks  pre- 
vented in  order  to  save  the  patient  from  the  possi- 
bility of  infection  with  other  diseases. 

Second,  the  importance  of  herpes  resides  in  the 
fact  that  it  frightens  many  patients  into  the  be- 
lief that  they  are  suffering  with  venereal  disease, 
and  if  they  are  unfortunate  enough  to  consult  an 
advertising  quack,  he  confirms  their  fears,  telling 
them  that  the  most  innocent  little  herpes  blister 
is  a chancroid  or  chancre  and  that  they  must  un- 
dergo long  treatment.  I have  had  a number  of 
cases  of  herpes  which  were  diagnosed  by  the 
quacks  as  chancres,  and  which  were  given  all 
kinds  of  internal  treatment;  an  application  of  a 
drying  powder  for  a few  hours  removed  the  con- 
dition entirely. 


VENEREAL  WARTS 

These  are  small,  painless  little  growths  in  the 
form  of  warts,  which  develop  in  people,  particu- 
larly with  long  prepuces,  and  who  do  not  keep 
their  genitals  scrupulously  clean.  They  may  de- 
velop in  people  who  never  had  any  venereal 
disease,  but  they  are  frequently  also  caused  by 
the  irritating  discharges  of  gonorrhea,  chancroid 


HERPES  OF  THE  GENITALS  179 


or  chancre.  They  are  easily  cured  within  a few 
days,  bnt  in  people  who  neglect  themselves  they 
may  attain  a very  large  size,  having  the  appear- 
ance of  a small  cauliflower.  When  they  have  at- 
tained a very  large  size,  the  quickest  method  of 
getting  rid  of  them  is  by  surgical  removal  or  by 
burning  them  out  with  a cautery.  But  when  they 
are  small,  thorough  cleanliness  and  the  applica- 
tion of  a drying  powder  like  bismuth  or  resorcin 
is  sufficient. 

NON-GONORRHEAL  URETHRITIS 

To  the  laity  every  discharge  from  the  urethral 
canal  is  gonorrhea,  but  this  is  far  from  being  the 
case.  There  are  many  kinds  of  discharges  which 
are  not  caused  by  the  gonorrheal  germ  or  gono- 
coccus. Some  discharges  are  merely  catarrhal  in 
character.  They  are  in  the  nature  of  ordinary 
catarrh,  and  can  usually  be  readily  cured.  And 
it  is  the  cure  of  such  discharges  which  are  non- 
gonorrheal  in  character  which  gives  rise  to  the 
idea  that  some  ignorant  laymen  entertain  that  a 
fully  developed  gonorrhea  can  be  cured  in  three 
or  four  days. 

A discharge  may  also  be  caused  by  the  use  of 
too  strong  injections.  Injections  used  for  the 
purpose  of  preventing  gonorrhea  after  inter- 


180  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


course,  if  too  strong,  may  induce  a discharge  which 
frightens  the  patient  into  thinking  that  he  became 
infected.  But  an  examination  of  the  discharge 
under  the  microscope  settles  the  question.  And 
it  is  well  to  state  here  that  it  is  impossible  to 
diagnose  the  character  of  the  different  discharges 
by  merely  looking  at  them.  They  must  be  care- 
fully examined  under  the  microscope  and  then 
only  can  the  exact  character  of  the  discharge  be 
found  out. 

HYDROCELE 

Hydrocele  is  a swelling  which  consists  of  an 
effusion  of  the  watery  or  serous  part  of  the  blood 
into  the  sac  which  surrounds  the  testicle  and  the 
spermatic  cord.  It  sometimes,  if  neglected, 
reaches  an  enormous  size.  The  condition  is  not  a 
serious  one  and  sometimes  may  be  cured  by  a 
single  tapping  and  removing  of  the  fluid,  but  in 
some  cases  the  effusion  is  apt  to  recur  and  then 
a slight  operation  becomes  necessary. 

If  permitted  to  exist  too  long,  the  swelling  by 
its  pressure  upon  the  testicle  may  interfere  with 
its  function  and  vitality. 

When  instead  of  the  clear  or  serous  part  of  the 
blood,  the  sac  becomes  filled  with  blood,  the  con- 
dition is  called  hematocele. 


Chapter  Twenty-Three 


ACUTE  PROSTATITIS 

ACUTE  inflammation  of  the  prostate  or  acnte 
prostatitis  is  unfortunately  a rather  fre- 
quent complication  of  gonorrhea.  Of  course 
every  complication  is  unfortunate,  but  prostatitis 
is  particularly  so,  because  it  is  that  complication 
which  makes  chronic  gonorrhea  one  of  the  most 
obstinate,  sometimes  one  of  the  most  maddening, 
conditions  to  treat.  Any  gonorrhea  in  which  the 
prostate  is  not  involved  is  comparatively  readily 
curable,  for  applications  to  the  urethral  canal  are 
readily  made  and  by  the  modem  methods  of  dila- 
tation-irrigation, we  can  lure  the  gonococci  from 
their  hiding  places  and  destroy  them,  but  once  the 
gonococci  penetrate  the  prostate  then  we  have  an 
entirely  different  condition  to  deal  with.  We  can- 
not apply  medication  directly  to  and  into  the  pros- 
tate, by  no  method  of  massage  can  we  be  sure  to 
express  every  little  subdivision  and  duct  of  the 
prostate,  and  it  probably  was  the  infection  of  the 
prostate  that  made  Ricord  say  that  we  knew  when 

181 


182  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


a man  got  gonorrhea  but  only  the  Lord  knew  when 
it  would  be  over. 

Symptoms.  The  onset  of  acute  prostatitis  may 
be  very  gradual,  so  that  the  patient  has  practi- 
cally no  symptoms,  or  perhaps  only  an  aggrava- 
tion of  the  symptoms  caused  hv  his  gonorrhea. 
He  may  feel  greater  discomfort  in  the  perineum, 
a sense  of  weight  and  dragging  down,  difficulty  in 
sitting,  or  an  inclination  to  walk  with  spread  legs. 
Or  the  attack  may  come  on  very  violently.  He 
will  feel  a terrible  weight  and  heat  in  the  rectum, 
become  feverish,  and  get  perhaps  a chill.  In  a se- 
vere acute  prostatitis  the  temperature  may  go  up 
as  high  as  103  or  104  degrees  Fahrenheit.  The  pa- 
tient is  constipated,  and  if  he  moves  his  bowels 
the  pain  may  be  excruciating.  The  urethral  dis- 
charge, if  it  was  present  before,  frequently  stops 
entirely,  though  this  is  not  so  frequently  the  case 
as  it  is  with  epididymitis.  Mere  touching  of  the 
perineum  is  painful,  while  the  pain  caused  by  in- 
serting the  finger  in  the  rectum  and  touching  the 
prostate  is  unbearable.  Besides  difficult  defeca- 
tion, pain  or  urination,  or  partial  and  sometimes 
complete  retention  of  urine,  the  pain  is  severe  not 
only  on  pressure  but  is  spontaneous,  and  the  pa- 
tient asks  for  relief,  which  in  some  instances  can 
be  afforded  only  by  morphine.  The  pain,  instead 


ACUTE  PROSTATITIS 


183 


of  being  located  in  the  perineum  and  rectum,  may 
also  radiate  to  the  small  of  the  back,  to  tbe  glans 
penis,  testicles  and  tlngbs. 

After  lasting  for  several  days  in  about  the  same 
condition,  a prostatitis  may  pursue  one  of  three 
courses.  (1)  It  may  end  in  complete  resolution, 
that  is,  the  inflammation  subsides  and  the  patient 
gets  perfectly  well;  (2)  it  may  end  in  an  abscess; 
(3)  it  may  pass  gradually  into  chronic  prostatitis. 
Neither  the  first  nor  the  second  termination  is 
very  common ; the  most  common  one  is  the  third, 
that  is,  chronic  prostatitis. 

When  prostatitis  terminates  in  abscess,  there 
is  a great  increase  in  the  heat,  pain  and  throbbing 
of  the  prostate.  There  is  excruciating  pain  on 
urination,  headache,  thirst,  dry  throat,  and  there 
may  be  complete  retention  of  urine. 

The  abscess  may  break  into  the  urethra,  or 
into  the  rectum,  or  into  the  perineum.  Sometimes 
it  breaks  in  both  directions,  into  the  urethra  and 
the  rectum  or  perineum,  thus  forming  a urethral 
or  urethro-rectal  fistula.  When  the  abscess  breaks 
into  the  urethra  there  is  a great  gush  of  pus, 
generally  mixed  with  blood,  and  this  happy  event 
is  followed  by  almost  immediate  diminution  of 
all  the  symptoms. 

If  the  abscess  does  not  break  within  a day  or 


184  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


two  and  the  fever  goes  up  high,  the  best  thing  to 
do  is  to  incise  the  prostate  through  the  perineum. 
But  if  the  prostate  points  into  the  rectum  and 
there  is  a distinct  fluctuating  mass  felt  by  the 
finger,  then  it  is  best  for  the  physician  to  incise 
the  prostate  through  the  rectum. 


Chapter  Twenty-Four 


CHRONIC  PROSTATITIS 
HRONIC  PROSTATITIS  or  chronic  inflam- 


mation of  the  prostate  gland  is  a very  com- 
mon condition.  In  a greater  or  lesser  degree  it  is 
present  in  a very  large  percentage  of  the  male 
population  of  every  civilized  country. 

Causes.  One  of  the  most  important  causes  of 
chronic  prostatitis  is  gonorrhea,  but  gonorrhea 
does  not  play  the  same  relative  role  in  the  causa- 
tion of  chronic  prostatitis  that  it  does  in  the  caus- 
ation of  acute  prostatitis.  In  the  latter  gonorrhea 
is  by  far  the  principal  factor;  other  causes  play 
but  a subordinate  role.  This  is  not  so  in  chronic 
prostatitis ; while,  as  we  said,  gonorrhea  does  play 
a very  important  role,  other  factors  are  also  of 
great  importance.  Among  other  causes  are : mas- 
turbation; sexual  excesses  (that  is,  too  frequently 
repeated  natural  sexual  intercourse);  complete  ab- 
stinence, particularly  if  accompanied  with  excita- 
tion, mental  or  physical,  without  gratification;  a 
steady,  long-continued  sedentary  life;  stricture; 
chills. 


185 


186  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


A chronic  prostatitis  following  a gonorrhea,  or 
other  forms  of  urethritis,  may  be  chronic  from 
the  very  start  or  it  may  be  the  end  stage  of  an 
acute  or  sub-acute  prostatitis. 

Symptoms.  The  symptoms  of  chronic  prosta- 
titis may  vary  from  the  mildest  to  extremely  se- 
vere. There  are  cases  of  prostatitis  which  are 
symptomless,  or  practically  so,  and  there  are 
cases  which  assume  the  character  of  a very  serious 
malady. 

The  Local  Symptoms  are  those  that  we  discover 
by  an  examination.  The  prostate  is  usually  en- 
larged, soft,  boggy,  more  than  normally  sensitive 
on  pressure,  and  exudes  a turbid  lumpy  secretion 
on  expression. 

The  Sensory  Symptoms  are  heaviness  and  a 
dragging  sensation  in  the  perineum,  pain  in  the 
prostate  and  perineum,  and  itching  around  and 
within  the  anus. 

A very  frequent  and  most  annoying  symptom  is 
a leaden  heaviness  in  the  calves  of  the  legs,  and 
also  a burning  in  the  soles  of  the  feet.  Another 
very  common  symptom  is  the  frequency  of  urina- 
tion. The  patients  may  have  to  urinate  every  two 
hours  or  every  hour,  and  if  they  happen  to  drink 
some  irritating  liquid  like  beer,  may  have  to  urin- 
ate every  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.  They  also 


CHRONIC  PROSTATITIS 


187 


have  to  get  up  in  the  night  from  one  to  four  times. 
Another  symptom  is  the  urgency  of  urination. 

The  Sexual  Symptoms  are  imperfect  erections 
and  premature  ejaculations. 

The  General  and  Nervous  Symptoms  produced 
by  an  irritated  or  inflamed  prostate  are  literally 
legion.  First  there  is  a general  irritability,  a 
physical  and  psychic  irritability.  The  patient  is 
affected  by  changes  in  temperature,  and  he  gets 
very  easily  upset  over  little  things.  There  is  a 
general  depression.  This  depression  expresses  it- 
self not  only  in  a lack  of  desire  for  work  and  a 
lack  of  interest  for  things,  but  in  a general  de- 
spondency. The  patient  may  occasionally  become 
deeply  melancholic,  and  this  to  such  an  extent  that 
he  may  harbor  suicidal  ideas.  If  the  condition 
lasts  long  he  may  become  a victim  of  sexual  neu- 
rasthenia. 

Chronic  prostatitis  should  not  be  neglected. 
The  patient  should  be  put  into  the  hands  of  a 
reputable  physician  or  specialist.  He  should 
avoid  the  advertising  quack  as  he  would  the 
plague. 


Chapter  Twenty-Five 


ENLARGEMENT  OF  THE  PROSTATE 

Enlargement  of  the  prostate  gland, 

known  technically  as  hypertrophy  of  the 
prostate  or  hypertrophied  prostate,  is  a very 
serious  and  very  common  affection  in  men  after 
the  age  of  forty-five  and  particularly  after  the 
age  of  fifty  and  fifty-five.  It  becomes  more  com- 
mon with  advancing  age.  The  exact  causes  of  it 
are  not  known,  not  any  more  than  we  know  the 
causes  of  other  tumors.  The  statements  made  by 
some  quacks  and  some  reputable  physicians  that 
it  is  due  to  masturbation,  or  a pre-existing  gonor- 
rhea, or  sexual  excess,  that  is,  excess  in  normal 
intercourse,  are  false  and  have  no  foundation  in 
fact.  As  about  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  all  men 
have  masturbated  at  one  time  or  another,  we 
naturally  will  find  the  history  of  masturbation  in 
most  people  with  a hypertrophied  prostate,  but 
no  proof  whatever  of  any  causal  relationship  can 
be  established.  We  will  also  find  a history  of 
masturbation  in  practically  all  people  who  have 

189 


190  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


gone  blind  or  deaf,  or  who  have  rheumatism,  or 
fell  and  broke  their  legs,  etc.,  but  of  course  that 
does  not  mean  that  masturbation  had  anything 
to  do  as  a causal  factor  in  these  diseases  or  acci- 
dents. 

As  to  gonorrhea,  any  relationship  between  it 
and  hypertrophy  of  the  prostate  may  absolutely 
be  put  down  as  false.  For  we  have  hypertrophy 
of  the  prostate  in  many  people  who  never  suffered 
from  gonorrhea,  and  we  have  thousands  and  thou- 
sands of  cases  of  gonorrhea  in  people  who  never 
develop  hypertrophied  prostates. 

Nor  can  sexual  excess  be  considered  a factor. 
Many  people  who  have  lived  a very  active  sexual 
life  reach  an  old  age  without  an  enlarged  pros- 
tate, while  on  the  other  hand,  we  find  an  enlarged 
prostate  in  many  people  who  have  lived  a very 
moderate  or  completely  continent  sexual  life,  such 
as  Catholic  priests. 

The  fact  of  the  matter  is,  that  up  to  the  present 
time  we  do  not  know  the  causes  of  an  enlarged 
prostate.  One  cannot  say  why  one  man  has  an 
enlarged  prostate  or  another  one  has  not,  and  it 
is  better  to  confess  our  ignorance  in  this  respect 
than  to  make  guesses  which  have  no  foundation. 

Symptoms.  The  symptoms  produced  by  an  en- 
larged prostate  are  very  numerous  and  depending 


ENLARGEMENT  OF  THE  PROSTATE  191 


upon  the  degree  of  enlargement  and  upon  its  di- 
rection, that  is,  whether  the  direction  is  more 
towards  the  rectum  or  towards  the  bladder,  vary 
from  mild  to  extremely  severe.  The  first  trouble 
of  an  enlarged  prostate  of  which  the  patient  be- 
comes aware,  and  which  generally  brings  him  to 
the  physician,  is  disturbance  of  urination.  The 
stream  becomes  thin  and  feeble,  and  there  is  great 
frequency;  sometimes  the  patient  has  to  urinate 
every  ten  to  fifteen  minutes,  and  he  has  to  get 
up  several  times  during  the  night.  After  a while 
complete  retention  may  set  in  so  that  the  patient 
cannot  urinate  at  all  except  with  the  aid  of  a 
catheter.  After  a while  the  patient  usually  de- 
velops a severe  catarrh  of  the  bladder  or  cystitis, 
which  aggravates  the  condition.  This  inflamma- 
tion may  travel  upwards  through  the  ureters  into 
the  kidneys  and  set  up  an  inflammation  of  the 
kidneys. 

Besides  the  urinary  symptoms  the  patient  suf- 
fers from  a number  of  other  symptoms.  The 
sexual  power  generally  becomes  weakened,  erec- 
tions are  interfered  with  and  the  ejaculations  are 
premature.  The  patient  in  general  becomes  irrit- 
able, disinclined  to  work,  restless,  and  seems  to 
suffer  with  a sort  of  toxemia  which  is  not  due  to 
the  catarrh  of  the  bladder  alone.  The  prostate  it- 


192  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


self  seems  to  generate  a toxic  substance  which  is 
absorbed  into  the  blood  and  produces  the  various 
symptoms  of  auto-toxemia,  or  blood  poisoning. 

If  patients  would  consult  a physician  as  soon  as 
they  notice  some  trouble  with  their  urine,  they 
might  perhaps  avoid  a further  aggravation  of 
their  trouble,  for  it  is  quite  likely  that  by  proper 
massaging  of  the  prostate,  a careful  hygienic  and 
sexual  life,  we  might  stop  the  further  progress  of 
the  disease;  but  as  a rule  when  the  patient  comes 
to  the  physician,  the  disease  is  fully  established 
and  very  little  can  be  done  except  to  subject  the 
patient  to  catheter  life  or  to  remove  the  prostate 
by  operation.  Catheter  life  is  merely  a palliative 
measure  and  with  few  exceptions  the  patient  who 
cannot  urinate  except  by  the  use  of  a catheter, 
sooner  or  later  develops  inflammation  and  sepsis, 
and  catheter  life  as  a rule  is  limited  only  to  two 
or  three  years. 

While  the  operation  of  removal  of  an  enlarged 
prostate  is  a serious  one,  still,  in  competent 
hands,  the  mortality  is  small,  and  on  the  whole 
the  best  thing  to  do  with  a really  enlarged  pros- 
tate is  to  have  it  removed,  provided  the  patient’s 
health  in  other  respects  is  satisfactory. 


Chapter  Twenty-Six 


VARICOCELE 

AS  varicocele  constitutes  one  of  the  chief 
items  in  the  stock  of  trade  of  the  quack  and 
advertising  charlatan,  it  is  worth  while  to  devote 
a special  brief  chapter  to  it. 

In  any  not  well  supported  or  well  protected 
part  of  the  body,  the  veins  are  apt  to  become  en- 
larged and  dilated ; thus  in  the  legs  we  often  find 
enlarged  veins  which  we  call  varicose  veins. 

The  same  thing  is  apt  to  happen  with  the  veins 
which  surround  the  spermatic  cord,  and  such  a 
condition  of  dilated  or  enlarged  veins  is  called 
varicocele.  Very  many  people  have  varicocele  in 
some  slight  degree,  and  the  wonder  is  that  many 
more  people  do  not  suffer  with  it.  Varicocele  is 
particularly  apt  to  develop  in  men  who  have  to 
do  heavy  work,  a good  deal  of  lifting,  and  who 
have  to  be  a greater  part  of  the  day  on  their  feet. 
Varicocele  in  a mild  degree  causes  no  symptoms 
whatever  and  is  of  no  consequence  whatever. 
General  strengthening  of  the  muscular  system  and 

193 


194  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


cold  baths,  washing  the  genitals  with  cold  lotions, 
and  the  wearing  of  a well-fitting  suspensory 
bandage  are  all  that  is  necessary. 

The  mild  degree  of  varicocele  does  not  in  any 
way  affect  sexual  power  unless  the  patient,  who 
has  been  frightened  by  quack  literature,  begins 
to  worry,  and  then  he  is  liable  to  become  psychic- 
ally impotent.  However,  if  the  varicocele  is  of 
severe  degree,  feels  like  a big  bunch  of  worms, 
and  causes  a heavy,  bearing  down  sensation,  it  is 
apt  to  prove  injurious.  It  may  even  interfere 
with  the  normal  performance  of  the  sexual  func- 
tion. In  such  severe  cases  the  best  thing  to  do  is 
to  have  the  varicocele  removed  by  a surgical  oper- 
ation. 

There  are  certain  cases  where  the  varicocele  is 
caused  by  an  abnormally  large,  loose  scrotum.  In 
such  cases  it  may  be  necessary  to  remove  a por- 
tion of  the  scrotum  so  as  to  make  it  tighter,  to 
make  it  a better  support  for  the  testicles  and  the 
spermatic  cord. 


Chapter  Twenty-Seven 


EPIDIDYMITIS 

EPIDIDYMITIS  is  an  inflammation  of  the 
epididymis,  which,  as  you  know,  is  the  body 
lying  close  to  the  testicle  on  its  posterior  side. 
It  carries  the  semen  from  the  testicle  to  the  sem- 
inal duct  or  vas  deferens.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
frequent  and  most  serious  complications  of  gonor- 
rhea. The  patient  is  very  frequently  at  fault ; for 
by  walking,  lifting,  working,  dancing,  drinking,  in- 
dulging in  sexual  intercourse,  straining  at  stool, 
using  injections  forcibly,  etc.,  in  short  by  doing 
things  he  should  carefully  avoid,  he  himself  brings 
about  this  painful  complication,  which  is  so  dan- 
gerous to  the  perpetuation  of  the  race.  It  is  epi- 
didymitis that  renders  gonorrhea  in  the  male  a 
social,  a racial  disease.  Were  there  no  such  com- 
plication as  epididymitis,  gonorrhea  would  be 
nasty,  painful,  dangerous,  but  it  would  be  an  in- 
dividual disease.  But  on  account  of  epididymitis, 
which  renders  thousands  and  thousands  of  men 
sterile , thus  endangering  the  perpetuation  of  the 
human  species,  the  gonococcus  acquires  the  dig- 

195 


196  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


nity  of  a racial  poison,  and  gonorrhea  that  of  a 
racial  disease. 

Symptoms.  When  a man  has  epididymitis,  he 
knows  it.  Sometimes  he  knows  it  several  hours 
before  he  has  the  epididymitis,  by  a severe  pain 
in  the  groin.  The  pain  in  the  groin  is  particularly 
severe  when  the  spermatic  cord  is  involved  in  the 
inflammation.  As  the  swelling  of  the  epididymis 
proceeds,  the  pain  gets  more  intense  and  the  pa- 
tient can  walk  only  with  great  difficulty.  There 
is  a general  feeling  of  malaise,  there  is  fever, 
which  may  go  up  as  high  as  104  degrees  Fahren- 
heit, and  the  patient  feels  undoubtedly  sick.  In 
mild  cases  the  patient  may  be  able  to  walk  about, 
but  each  step  is  accomplished  with  pain,  and  with 
a terrible  feeling  of  heaviness  and  dragging  down 
in  the  scrotum.  Quite  frequently  the  patient,  if 
of  what  we  call  a nervous  temperament,  shows  a 
tendency  to  faint.  Occasionally  he  feels  as  if  he 
had  been  hit  in  the  stomach,  is  nauseated,  vomits, 
and  in  some  cases  there  may  be  convulsions. 

Epididymitis  is  usually  unilateral,  that  is,  only 
one  epididymis  is  affected,  but  in  a large  number 
of  cases  it  is  bilateral,  that  is,  on  both  sides.  The 
swelling  of  both  epididymides,  however,  rarely  oc- 
curs at  the  same  time;  usually  one  epididymis 
swells  a few  days  before  the  other. 


EPIDIDYMITIS 


197 


A very  peculiar  phenomenon,  which  is  present 
in  almost  every  case  of  epididymitis,  is  the  com- 
plete stoppage  of  the  urethral  discharge  as  soon 
as  the  epididymis  swells.  The  discharge  may  be 
ever  so  profuse,  it  almost  invariably  stops  with 
the  establishment  of  this  complication.  Some- 
times it  stops  several  hours  before.  When  the 
epididymitis  subsides  or  is  cured,  the  discharge 
starts  up  again. 

Gonococcal  epididymitis  very  rarely  ends  in 
suppuration.  But  there  is  one  legacy  that  a gono- 
coccal epididymitis  leaves  very  frequently,  and 
that  is  a hardening  of  the  head  or  the  tail  of  the 
epididymis,  with  blocking  of  the  lumen  of  the  vas 
deferens.  And  if  this  condition  occurs  in  both 
epididymides,  the  patient  becomes  sterile.  In  fact 
it  is  very  seldom  that  a gonorrheal  epididymitis 
heals  so  smoothly  as  to  leave  absolutely  no  in- 
duration. Very  often  the  hardening  in  either  the 
globus  major  or  the  globus  minor  remains  with 
the  patient  through  life,  and  by  feeling  it  we  can 
know  that  the  patient  has  had  gonorrhea  ten  or 
twenty  or  thirty  years  before,  when  there  are  no 
other  symptoms  to  indicate  it.  Of  patients  who 
suffered  with  epididymitis  on  one  side,  about 
twenty  per  cent,  are  sterile.  Of  those  who  had 


198  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


epididymitis  on  both  sides,  from  forty  to  forty- 
five  per  cent,  remain  sterile. 

The  induration  of  the  epididymis  and  the  oc- 
clusion of  the  lumen  of  the  vas  deferens  have  for 
their  result,  as  stated  before,  sterility  of  the  male. 
They  either  permit  absolutely  no  semen  and  sper- 
matozoa to  pass,  the  condition  being  one  of 
aspermia,  as  much  so  as  if  the  patient  had  been 
castrated;  or  the  spermatozoa  that  pass  are  very 
few  in  number  and  deformed,  and  do  not  possess 
enough  vitality  to  impregnate  the  ovum.  But, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  this  sterility  is  not  ac- 
companied by  any  impotence  or  diminished  libido, 
or  any  other  changes  in  the  secondary  male  char- 
acteristics or  in  the  patient’s  general  health. 

SEMINAL  VESICULITIS 

Seminal  vesiculitis,  or  spermatocystitis,  is  an 
inflammation  of  the  seminal  vesicles,  either  one  or 
both.  The  most  common,  and  by  far  the  most 
important  cause,  of  seminal  vesiculitis  is  gonor- 
rhea. An  important  predisposing  cause  is  coitus 
during  the  acute  or  subacute  stage  of  gonorrhea. 

The  symptoms  may  not  be  distinguishable  from 
those  produced  by  the  onset  of  an  acute  prosta- 
titis. There  is  one  symptom,  however,  which  dis- 
tinguishes it  from  prostatitis,  that  is  the  semen 


EPIDIDYMITIS  199 

may  be  mixed  either  with  blood  (hemaspermia) 
or  with  pus  (pyospermia).  When  the  onset  is 
very  acute  the  patient  may  feel  nauseated,  may 
vomit  and  feel  like  fainting. 

Gonorrhea  may  also  attack  the  rectum,  causing 
gonorrheal  proctitis ; or  even  the  mouth,  causing 
what  we  call  gonorrheal  stomatitis. 


V 


Chapter  Twenty-Eight 


STRICTURE 

STRICTURE  is  a narrowing  or  constriction  of 
the  caliber  of  the  urethral  canal  at  some  point 
or  points.  It  may  be  caused  by  gonorrhea,  or  by 
some  other  inflammation  of  the  urethral  canal. 
It  may  be  so  narrow  as  to  prevent  the  passing  of 
the  urine.  A stricture  can  be  stretched  or  dilated, 
but  in  some  very  bad  cases  it  must  be  cut. 

Symptoms.  One  of  the  commonest  symptoms 
of  stricture  is  the  well-known  gleet,  which  consists' 
of  a slight  urethral  discharge.  The  discharge  is 
generally  supposed  to  be  most  common  in  the 
morning,  but  this  is  only  so  because  during  the 
night  the  patient  passes  the  longest  time  without 
urinating,  and  the  discharge  has  time  to  accumu- 
late in  sufficient  amount  to  be  noticed.  But  if  the 
patient  should  abstain  from  urinating  during  the 
day  for  eight  or  nine  hours  we  will  be  sure  to  find 
the  discharge  then,  too. 

The  next  symptom  is  a change  in  the  size  and 
character  of  the  urinary  stream.  It  is  this  that 
often  brings  the  patient  to  the  doctor.  Besides 

201 


202  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


being  smaller  in  size  than  usual,  it  may  assume  a 
fantastic  direction,  going  either  to  one  side  or 
downward,  or  may  become  corkscrew  shaped;  or, 
which  is  very  common,  it  splits  in  two  or  three 
different  directions. 

Then  there  is  almost  invariably  dribbling  of  the 
urine.  And  finally  we  may  have  complete  reten- 
tion of  the  urine,  the  patient  being  unable  to  pass 
a single  drop. 

The  sexual  symptoms  of  stricture  are  impor- 
tant, because  they  are  frequent,  annoying,  and 
often  overshadow  the  urinary  symptoms  caused 
by  the  stricture.  These  symptoms  are  weakened 
or  imperfect  erections,  premature  ejaculation, 
diminished  pleasure  during  the  act,  a feeling  of 
scalding  or  burning  in  the  urethral  canal  during 
and  after  the  ejaculation.  As  a rule  there  is  a 
diminished  desire  for  intercourse,  but  occasion- 
ally, as  so  often  happens  in  the  inflammations 
around  the  posterior  urethra  and  the  prostate, 
there  may  be  just  enough  inflammation  to  keep 
up  an  irritation  which  makes  the  patient  believe 
that  he  is  constantly  erotically  excited;  it  is  a 
fictitious  libido,  a false  desire.  In  irritable  stric- 
ture pollutions  are  also  frequent,  and  it  is  here 
that  we  sometimes  have  to  deal  with  retrppollu- 
tions  or  ejaculations  of  the  semen  into  the  bladder. 


Chapter  Twenty-Nine 


GONORRHEAL  RHEUMATISM 

Gonorrheal  arthritis  or  gonorrheal 

inflammation  of  the  joints  is  not  a very  fre- 
quent complication  of  gonorrhea.  It  occurs  in 
about  two  per  cent,  of  all  gonorrheics  and  is  much 
more  frequent  in  the  male  than  in  the  female  sex. 
While  any  gonorrheal  focus  in  the  genito-urinary 
tract  may  give  rise  to  gonorrheal  arthritis,  it  is 
particularly  frequent  in  cases  of  prostatitis  and 
seminal  vesiculitis.  The  latter  is  considered  the 
most  important  factor  on  account  of  the  rich  net- 
work of  bloodvessels  which  surround  the  vesicles. 
In  frequency  the  joints  affected  are  as  fol- 
lows, in  the  order  named:  knee  joint,  ankle  joint, 
wrist  joint,  finger  joint,  elbow  joint,  shoulder 
joint,  hip  joint  and  jaw.  The  knee  joint,  as  said, 
is  the  most  frequent,  furnishing  as  many  cases  as 
all  the  other  joints  combined. 


203 


Chapter  Thirty 


GONORRHEA  OF  THE  EYES.  OPHTHAL- 
MIA NEONATORUM 

Gonorrheal  ophthalmia  or  gonor- 
rheal inflammation  of  the  eye  in  adults  is 
generally  due  to  direct  infection  by  the  fingers, 
soiled  towels,  etc.  In  newborn  infants  the  infection 
takes  place  directly,  by  the  eyes  touching  the 
cervix  and  vaginal  canal  or  by  the  infecting  ma- 
terial being  transferred  from  the  baby’s  body. 
There  are  also  cases  where  the  infection  of  the 
infant’s  eyes  takes  place  in  the  womb.  In  such 
cases  the  infant  is  born  with  a fully  developed 
ophthalmia,  or  it  may  even  be  born  totally  blind. 
Fortunately  such  cases  are  rare. 

Prophylaxis.  Here,  if  anywhere,  prophylaxis, 
or  prevention,  is  infinitely  more  important  than 
cure.  I make  it  a rule  to  instil  in  every  adult 
gonorrheic  a wholesome  fear  of  infecting  his  eyes. 
I tell  him — and  her — that  carelessness  may  mean 
the  loss  of  eyesight,  and  I give  them  instructions 
how  to  be  careful,  how  to  wash  their  hands  after 

205 


206  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 


touching  the  genitals,  even  ever  so  lightly.  And 
I can  assure  you  that  they  follow  instructions. 
There  is  nothing  people  are  so  much  afraid  of 
losing  as  their  eyesight,  except  their  minds. 

It  is  stated,  and  the  statement  may  be  accepted 
as  correct,  that  in  civilized  (?)  countries  about 
one-third  of  all  the  blindness  is  due  to  ophthalmia 
neonatorum.  The  horribleness  of  the  disease 
therefore  requires  no  emphasis,  no  discussion. 
And  its  prophylaxis  becomes  a matter  of  the 
greatest  importance,  imposing  a grave  responsi- 
bility upon  every  attendant  connected  with  bring- 
ing a child  into  the  world.  The  mother,  if  afflicted 
with  gonorrhea,  must  be  treated  with  frequent 
non-irritating  antiseptic  douches,  etc.  But  even  if 
the  discharge  is  apparently  purely  leucorrheal, 
treatment  should  not  be  neglected.  For  a leu- 
corrheal discharge  may  also  give  rise  to  infection. 

The  child,  as  soon  as  delivered,  must  be  given 
special  attention  with  reference  to  its  eyes.  If 
we  have  known  the  mother  before  delivery  and  are 
sure  that  she  is  all  right,  then  merely  wiping 
(wiping  always  away  from  the  eyes,  and  not  to- 
wards them!)  the  infant’s  eyes  with  cotton  swabs 
wet  with  boric  acid  solution  (2  per  cent.)  is  suffi- 
cient; but  where  we  suspect  or  know  that  the 
mother  has  had  a gonorrheal  discharge,  then  be- 


OPHTHALMIA  NEONATORUM 

(Haab.  Courtesy  of  Dr.  Henry  P.  De  Forest) 


TOTAL  BLINDNESS  DUE  TO  PERFORATION  OF  THE  EYEBALL 

(Courtesy  of  Dr.  Henry  P.  De  Forest) 


GONORRHEA  OF  THE  EYES  207 


sides  the  preliminary  cleansing  we  mnst  instil 
into  each  eye  some  solution  which  kills  the  gono- 
cocci. Professor  Crede  may  well  he  considered 
one  of  humanity’s  great  benefactors,  for  by  his 
investigations  and  teachings  he  has  saved  the 
eyesight  of  thousands  and  thousands  of  children. 
In  cases  that  are  strongly  suspicious  it  is  still  ad- 
visable to  stick  to  his  original  recommendation — 
the  instillation  into  each  eye  of  two  drops  of  a 
two  per  cent,  solution  of  silver  nitrate.  In  the 
general  run  of  cases,  however,  a one  per  cent,  solu- 
tion of  silver  nitrate  (1  drop  in  each  eye)  is  suffi- 
cient. 

The  diagnosis  of  gonorrheal  inflammation  of 
the  eye  is  not  difficult.  The  disease  starts  with 
redness  and  with  an  excess  of  secretion,  which 
may  be  serous  in  the  beginning  but  soon  becomes 
purulent  (full  of  pus).  The  eye  is  badly  swollen 
and  glued  together.  It  is  sometimes  so  strongly 
glued  together  that  it  requires  quite  some  wash- 
ing and  manipulating  before  the  lids  can  be  sep- 
arated. 

No  time  should  be  lost!  Every  hour,  every 
minute  is  precious.  As  soon  as  the  least  inflam- 
mation, the  least  redness  is  noticed  in  a newborn 
baby’s  eyes,  a competent  physician  should  be 
called  in  at  once. 


208  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


And  adults  suffering  with  gonorrhea  should 
also  act  accordingly.  The  least  irritation  or  in- 
flammation in  the  eyes  demands  competent  med- 
ical advice. 


Chapter  Thirty-One 


SEXUAL  ABSTINENCE  AND  THE  SEXUAL 
NECESSITY 

IT  seems  to  be  so  bard  for  the  majority  of  peo- 
ple to  maintain  a calm,  judicial  attitude  to- 
wards the  various  questions  affecting  their  phys- 
ical, but  particularly  their  economic  and  spiritual 
life.  The  tendency  is  almost  always  to  go  to  ex- 
tremes, to  be  partizan,  to  take  sides.  How  few, 
how  very  few,  are  really  anxious  to  pursue  the 
truth,  regardless  of  where  the  pursuit  may  lead 
them!  This  partizan  attitude  is  particularly  no- 
ticeable in  discussions  which  concern  the  exercise 
of  the  sex  function. 

The  acrimony  displayed  in  the  discussion  of 
sex  indulgence  and  sex  morality  is  caused  by  two 
factors : First,  the  disputant ’s  own  sexuality, 

and  second,  the  conflict  which  exists  between  ex- 
tramarital indulgence  on  the  one  hand,  and  reli- 
gion and  social  custom  on  the  other. 

First:  A person  with  a strong  sexuality  as- 

sumes a different  attitude  on  the  question  from  a 

209 


210  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


person  who  has  become  sexually  impotent,  or  one 
who  has  never  possessed  any,  or  hardly  any,  sex- 
uality. Second:  The  sex  instinct  is  the  only 

one  of  our  instincts  whose  gratification  is  in  con- 
flict with  church  tenets,  legal  statutes  and  social 
customs.  Anybody  can  satisfy  his  hunger  in- 
stinct, his  thirst  instinct  or  his  sleep  instinct  with- 
out coming  in  conflict  with  the  authorities  or  in- 
viting social  ostracism.  Not  so  with  the  sex  in- 
stinct. And  hence  we  have  two  strongly  an- 
tagonistic camps.  The  followers  of  the  first  camp, 
themselves  usually  strongly  sexed  and  free  from 
any  religious  dogmas,  claim  that  the  gratification 
of  the  sex  instinct  should  be  as  free  and  consid- 
ered as  proper  as  is  the  gratification  of  any  of 
our  other  instincts.  Some  go  to  extremes  and 
claim  that  sex  indulgence  becomes  proper  and  is 
not  injurious  as  soon  as  the  instinct  is  fully  awak- 
ened— which  means  from  the  age  of  fourteen  to 
sixteen.  They  claim  that  if  people  began  to  in- 
dulge this  early  they  would  avoid  masturbation 
and  pollutions  and  would  be  in  better  sexual 
health. 

The  followers  of  the  second  camp,  much  more 
numerous  than  the  first,  in  the  perfectly  natural, 
and  from  their  point  of  view  laudable  desire,  to 
save  young  men  from  illicit  sex  relations,  with 


SEXUAL  ABSTINENCE 


211 


their  concomitant  dangers  of  venereal  disease,  and 
offenses  against  religion  and  custom,  try  to  mini- 
mize the  strength  or  importance  of  the  sex  in- 
stinct, and  even  deny  that  there  is  such  a thing 
as  a “sexual  necessity.”  They  admit  that  it  is 
proper  and  rather  beneficial  for  a married  man 
to  have  sex  relations,  but  they  claim  there  is  no 
need  whatever  for  a non-married  man  to  have  any 
sex  relations,  even  if  he  has  reached  the  age  of 
thirty  or  forty;  and  they  further  claim  that  com- 
plete sexual  abstinence  during  a person’s  entire 
life  is  not  in  any  way  injurious,  and  is  not  incom- 
patible with  perfect  physical  and  psychic  health. 
Some  do  not  believe  in  the  non-injuriousness  of 
absolute  continence,  but  believe  it  is  best  and 
safest  for  all  concerned  to  say  so  in  public. 

The  author  is  not  an  extremist  and  he  believes 
that  the  truth  is  the  best  policy  in  the  long  run. 
And  here  is  the  truth  about  sexual  abstinence  and 
the  sexual  necessity.  The  sexual  instinct  is  one 
of  the  strongest  instincts  we  possess.  It  is  next 
in  intensity  only  to  the  nutrition  instinct  or  hun- 
ger. Of  course,  it  is  a perfectly  natural  instinct, 
and  the  possession  of  a strong  feeling  for  the  op- 
posite sex  is  nothing  disgraceful,  nothing  to  be 
ashamed  of.  It  is  no  more  a disgrace  than  the 
possession  of  exuberant  health  is.  But,  we  are 


212  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


not  living  in  a primitive  state.  We  live  in  a state 
of  what  we  call  civilization.  Whether  our  civiliza- 
tion is  something  to  boast  of,  is  a different  ques- 
tion. The  senseless  butchery  that  is  now  going  on 
in  Europe  is  rather  an  indication  that  our  civiliza- 
tion is  fundamentally  not  superior  to  primitive 
savagery.  But  such  as  it  is,  we  live  in  it;  and 
much  as  we  may  despise  some  of  its  edicts,  much 
as  we  rebel  at  some  of  its  restrictions,  we  are 
bound  to  pay  them  some  tribute,  unless  we  are 
ready,  with  open  eyes,  to  accept  social  ostracism 
and  martyrdom.  Speaking,  therefore,  not  from  a 
religious  or  moralistic  point  of  view,  speaking 
from  the  point  of  view  of  the  boy’s  or  young 
man’s  own  interests,  it  is  best  that  until  the  age 
of  twenty  or  twenty -two,  there  should  be  no  sexual 
indulgence. 

It  is  very  unfortunate  that  the  sex  instinct  in 
the  male  should  awaken  so  early,  so  prematurely. 
From  the  point  of  view  of  our  social  standards 
and  economic  conditions,  it  awakens  at  least  ten 
years  too  soon.  But  what  are  we  going  to  do? 
Indulgence  immediately  after  the  full  awakening 
of  the  sex  instinct  is  not  to  the  best  interest  of 
either  the  individual  or  the  race,  and  self -repres- 
sion up  to  a certain  age  becomes  imperative.  I 
will  not  lie  to  you,  I will  not  tell  you  that  the  re- 


SEXUAL  ABSTINENCE 


213 


pression  is  always  an  easy  matter,  but  as  repres- 
sion np  to  a certain  age  is  unavoidable,  it  is  a 
matter  of  wisdom  to  make  tbe  best  of  it,  and  turn 
it  to  good  uses.  The  injurious  effects  of  complete 
abstinence  up  to  the  age  of  twenty-two  are  trifling ; 
they  are  more  a sense  of  discomfort  and  irritation 
with  perhaps  some  mental  heaviness,  than  actual 
injury ; and  if  the  boy  or  young  man  uses  his  will 
power  and  is  always  busy , then  the  difficulty  will 
not  be  an  insuperable  one.  That  a strong  volun- 
tary determination  to  abstain  has  a good  effect 
on  a person’s  will-power,  of  this  I am  quite  con- 
vinced. But  there  is  another  factor  which  will 
help  you  to  come  out  victorious,  if  you  have  de- 
cided to  remain  continent,  and  that  is  the  process 
of  sublimation.  It  has  been  found  that  the  energy, 
the  nerve  force,  the  psychic  element  which  con- 
stitutes sexuality,  if  not  expended  in  the  ordinary 
way,  can  be  elevated  or  sublimated,  that  is,  di- 
verted into  other  channels.  An  idle,  of  a mentally 
inferior  person  can  but  with  great  difficulty  re- 
press his  sex  instincts ; but  a civilized  human  be- 
ing, a man  or  woman  with  ideals,  can  sublimate 
his  or  her  sexuality  into  a study  of  the  sciences, 
into  literature,  painting,  sculpture,  music,  or  so- 
cial work.  The  ecstatic  religious  feeling  in  many 
young  men  and  women  which  so  gladdens  the 


214  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


heart  of  the  pious  puritan  is  nothing  but  subli- 
mated sexuality. 

But  we  must  not  draw  unwarranted  conclusions. 
Because  a man  can  sublimate  his  sexuality  up  to  a 
certain  age,  it  does  not  mean  that  he  can  do  so 
with  impunity  forever.  A man  can  reduce  his 
food  to  a very  small  amount  indeed,  and  live,  but 
it  does  not  mean  that  he  can  live  without  any 
food.  The  exercise  of  the  sex  function  is  not  a 
vital  function;  life  does  not  depend  upon  it;  but 
a person’s  all  round  physical  cmd  mental  welfare 
does.  And  in  the  author’s  opinion  a man  after 
the  age  of  twenty-two  or  twenty-five  can  not  ab- 
stain entirely  without  some  damage  to  his  sexual 
power,  without  some  impairment  of  his  capacity 
to  do  mental  work.  Very  few  completely  absti- 
nent men  can  reach  the  age  of  thirty  or  thirty-five 
without  some  impairment  of  their  sexual  power. 
I do  not  mean  that  their  fertility  is  impaired:  a 
man  can  be  continent  to  the  age  of  forty,  forty- 
five  or  fifty  and  still  be  able  to  beget  children; 
the  spermatozoa  are  not  necessarily  affected.  But 
his  power  to  perform  the  act  properly  is  usually 
affected,  that  is,  he  is  more  or  less  impotent. 
Often  he  is  completely  impotent,  being  unable  to 
have  any  erections,  or  suffering  with  immediate 
ejaculations.  And  he  is  very  apt  to  be  a neuras- 


SEXUAL  ABSTINENCE 


215 


thenic.  In  addition  to  tlie  sexual  impairment,  he 
is  often  a sufferer  from  various  nervous  disturb- 
ances, ranging  from  ordinary  “nervousness”  to 
genuine  neuroses  or  even  psychoses. 

And  this  is  the  truth  in  a nutshell  about  sexual 
continence  and  the  sexual  necessity,  as  concurred 
in  by  the  world’s  foremost  sexologists,  who  have 
devoted  themselves  to  a study  of  the  subject,  with- 
out bias,  without  any  preconceived  notions. 

There  is  a great  deal  more  to  be  said  on  the 
subject  of  sexual  abstinence,  but  a further  and 
freer  discussion  must  be  left  for  another  occasion, 
for  a more  advanced  book.  Here  I must  merely 
emphasize  that  those  who  assert  that  complete 
sexual  abstinence  up  to  an  advanced  age  is  devoid 
of  any  injurious  effects,  are  not  telling  the  truth. 
Some  are  telling  this  untruth  deliberately,  some 
are  telling  it  ignorantly.  The  motives  of  both 
are  good,  but  an  untruth  remains  an  untruth  even 
if  told  in  a good  cause. 


Chapter  Thirty-Two 


MARRIAGE 

MARRIAGE  is  the  most  important  step  in  a 
man’s  life.  Marriage  often  makes  a man’s 
life,  and  just  as  often  mars  it.  To  discuss  briefly 
all  the  qualifications  necessary  for  a happy  mar- 
riage would  be  worthless,  and  for  two  reasons: 
First,  all  rules  given  for  happy  marriages  are  apt 
to  be  thrown  to  the  winds  when  a man  falls  in 
love.  He  will  then  act  contrary  to  his  principles 
and  his  firmly  made  decisions  and  resolutions. 
Second,  we  have  not  yet  reached  such  a stage  of 
knowledge,  where  we  can  say  dogmatically  just 
what  conditions  are  necessary  to  a happy  mar- 
riage, and  what  characteristics  will  result  in  the 
unhappy  marriages.  Only  too  often  have  people 
been  disappointed — pleasantly  or  unpleasantly. 
And  it  is  well  known  that  some  of  the  sincerest 
love-marriages,  supremely  happy  at  first,  turn  out 
later  on  very  unhappily. 

Nonetheless,  we  do  know  something  about  some 
of  the  factors  essential  to  a happy  marriage,  and 

217 


218  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


no  wise  man  will  neglect  to  inform  liimself  about 
them. 

The  first  factor  is  good  sexual  health  and  power. 
Not  merely  freedom  from  venereal  disease,  but 
good  sexual  potency.  For,  no  matter  how  favor- 
able all  other  conditions  may  be,  no  matter  how 
sweet-tempered  both  partners,  how  excellent  their 
financial  condition  and  how  good  their  general 
health,  if  the  husband  is  suffering  from  sexual 
impotence,  the  marriage  cannot  be  a happy  one 
(with  one  exception — when  the  wife  herself  is  also 
impotent,  or  absolutely  frigid).  Most  likely  it 
will  be  a tragedy.  In  fact,  in  my  opinion,  more 
unhappy  marriages,  more  tragedies,  more  di- 
vorces result  from  the  husband’s  sexual  impo- 
tence than  from  venereal  disease.  As  I stated 
elsewhere,  you  can,  if  you  are  forewarned,  protect 
your  wife  from  venereal  infection;  you  can  do 
nothing  for  her  if  you  are  suffering  from  per- 
manent incurable  impotence.  And  it  is  a cheer- 
ing sign  of  progress  that  just  as  men  who  once 
suffered  from  some  venereal  infection,  and  who 
contemplate  marriage,  are  now  coming  to  the  phy- 
sician to  find  out  if  they  are  free  from  any  trace 
of  disease,  so  men  are  coming  in  to  find  out  if  they 
are  all  right  sexually.  And  then  they  also  want  to 
get  all  the  information  they  can  about  the  effects 


MARRIAGE 


219 


of  heredity,  about  marital  hygiene,  about  the 
bridal  night,  about  thfe  proper  frequency  of  sex 
relations,  about  the  use  of  one  or  two  beds,  about 
means  of  regulating  conception,  so  that  children 
may  not  come  too  soon,  or  in  too  great  numbers 
or  in  too  rapid  succession,  and  about  a thousand 
and  one  other  things.  And  the  fact  that  this  cus- 
tom is  getting  in  vogue  with  the  intelligent  laity  is 
considered  by  the  author  a happy  augury  for  the 
future.  There  can  be  no  wiser  procedure,  no  bet- 
ter paying  investment  than  a pre-marriage  exam- 
ination at  the  bands  of  a competent  physician. 
It  may  save  the  future  husband  and  wife  much  ill- 
health  and  much  misery.  And  books  alone  will 
not  take  the  place  of  personal  advice  and  instruc- 
tion. The  advice  and  instruction  must  be  individ- 
ual. For  what  is  suitable  for  one  person  may  be 
quite  unsuitable  for  another.  And  besides,  there 
are  certain  things  that  cannot  he  mentioned  or 
explained  in  a book.  Assuming  that  a writer  pos- 
sessed the  ability  and  necessary  clearness  to  ex- 
plain “everything”  in  all  its  details,  so  that  even 
the  reader  of  ordinary  intelligence  would  not  mis- 
understand or  misinterpret,  our  censorship,  even 
if  it  should  become  more  liberal  than  it  is  now, 
would  never  stand  for  it.  But  if  we  cannot  dis- 
cuss everything,  let  us  discuss  what  we  can. 


220  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


The  Bridal  Night.  The  bridal  night  is  the  most 
important  turning  point  in  a woman’s  entire  life. 
Upon  the  man’s  behavior  during  that  night  de- 
pends to  a great  extent  his  wife’s  attitude  towards 
him.  We  must  bear  in  mind  that  while  in  the  vast 
majority  of  cases  the  bridal  night  is  not  the  man’s 
first  sexual  experience,  it  is  the  woman’s  first 
sexual  experience,  at  least  in  the  vast  majority  of 
cases.  Of  course  there  are  at  present  many  so- 
phisticated young  girls,  who  even  while  not  famil- 
iar with  the  practise  of  the  act,  are  fully  familiar 
with  the  theory  and  are  anxious  to  have  the  act 
consummated.  In  such  cases  there  is  nothing  to 
be  said.  But  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  even  at 
the  present  time  a great  number  of  young  women 
approach  their  first  sexual  experience  with  fear 
and  misgivings.  Incredible  as  it  may  be,  even  at 
the  present  time  there  are  many  women  who  go 
to  the  marriage  bed  with  but  the  vaguest  idea  of 
the  physical  facts  of  marriage.  We  must  also 
bear  in  mind  that  some  women  are  extremely 
nervous  and  very  tender,  and  where  the  hymen  is 
of  a rather  tough  consistency,  the  physical  con- 
summation of  marriage  is  attended  with  consid- 
erable pain,  and  the  man  who  is  wise  and  con- 
siderate will  not  force  matters,  but  will  depend 
rather  upon  a gradual  stretching  than  upon  a 


MARRIAGE 


221 


brutal  tearing  of  the  hymen.  Some  men  will  spend 
several  nights  or  a week  before  accomplishing 
complete  defloration.  Sensitive  women  remain 
forever  grateful  for  this  consideration  on  their 
husband’s  part. 

We  also  want  to  bear  in  mind  that  with  the 
■exception  of  sophisticated  young  women,  whose 
curiosity  has  been  aroused  by  a certain  kind  of 
literature,  and  by  the  tales  and  hints  of  their 
married  friends,  the  young  woman  has  not  the 
same  desire  for  sexual  intercourse  that  the  man 
has.  With  the  woman  the  desire  for  loving,  for 
contact,  for  caresses,  is  stronger  than  with  the 
man,  but  the  desire  for  intercourse  is  decidedly 
weaker,  and  in  quite  a considerable  percentage  of 
cases,  is  altogether  lacking.  It  takes  many  women 
several  years  of  sexual  life  and  “sexual  educa- 
tion” before  they  begin  to  feel  the  need  for  and 
to  enjoy  sexual  relations. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  husband  who  wishes  to  keep  and  retain  the 
regard,  affection  and  gratitude  of  his  wife,  will  be 
moderate  and  circumspect  during  the  first  few 
weeks  of  married  life.  Unless,  of  course,  the  wife 
herself  is  of  a passionate  nature  and  demands 
frequent  satisfaction.  In  such  cases  the  husband 


222  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


will  comply  with  his  wife’s  wishes  as  far  as  he 
can  without  injuring  his  health. 

Frequency.  The  physician  is  often  consulted 
as  to  what  constitutes  the  proper  frequency  of 
normal  sexual  relations.  I have  discussed  this 
question  elsewhere.*  This  cannot  be  done  in  a 
book  intended  for  popular  use.  Here  I will  merely 
state  that  there  can  be  no  ironclad  rules  in  this 
respect.  In  no  sphere  do  men  differ  so  much  from 
one  another  as  they  do  in  the  sexual  sphere,  and 
what  is  normal  for  one  person  is  too  little  or  ex- 
cessive for  another.  But  as  a general  rule  it  may 
be  laid  down  that  sex  relations  should  not  be  re- 
peated more  frequently  than  twice  a week  be- 
tween the  ages  of  twenty-five  and  thirty-five,  no 
more  frequently  than  once  a week  between  the 
ages  of  thirty-five  and  fifty,  and  only  once  in 
ten  days  or  twice  a month  after  that  age. 
This  is  merely  a general  statement.  Some  people 
of  fifty  or  sixty  are  much  stronger  sexually  than 
others  of  thirty-five;  and  the  person’s  occupation 
also  makes  a considerable  difference.  People  en- 
grossed in  intellectual  work  cannot  and  should  not 
perform  the  act  as  frequently  as  people  devoted 
to  physical  labor  only.  But  taken  in  a general 

* Treatment  of  Sexual  Impotence  and  other  Sexual  Disorders 
in  Men  and  Women. 


MARRIAGE 


223 


sense  the  statement  is  correct,  and  people  who 
will  he  moderate  in  their  younger  years  will  pre- 
serve their  sexual  power  to  a much  later  age  than 
those  who  are  excessive. 

Intercourse  During  Menstruation.  Because 
many  women  are  much  more  passionate  during 
their  menses  than  at  any  other  period,  and  de- 
mand satisfaction  at  that  time,  husbands  not  in- 
frequently consult  physicians  as  to  the  propriety, 
injuriousness  or  harmlessness  of  intercourse  dur- 
ing menstruation. 

Putting  aside  the  esthetic  part  of  the  question, 
sex  relations  should  not  take  place  during  men- 
struation. It  is  apt  to  lead  in  some  cases  to  con- 
gestion of  the  uterus  and  ovaries  and  may  give 
rise  to  catarrh  of  the  urethra  in  the  man.  But  the 
ancient  idea  of  the  great  injuriousness  and  the 
dire  results  of  relations  during  menstruation  rest 
on  no  scientific  basis,  and  there  are  many  couples 
who  perform  the  act  during  that  time  without  any 
injury  to  husband  or  wife. 

Single  or  Separate  Beds.  The  question  whether 
the  husband  and  wife  should  sleep  in  the  same  or 
separate  beds  is  put  to  the  physician  much  more 
frequently  now  than  it  used  to  be  in  former  years. 

As  a general  thing,  my  advice  is : separate  beds ; 
both  for  reasons  of  general  hygiene  and  for  the 


224  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


sake  of  sexual  health,  separate  beds  are  prefer- 
able. There  is  no  question  whatever  that  when 
man  and  wife  occupy  always  the  same  bed,  the 
sexual  act  is  performed  much  more  frequently 
than  it  would  be  if  they  occupied  separate  beds, 
and  this  excessive  indulgence  may  lead  and  does 
lead  not  only  to  a weakening  of  the  man’s  sexual 
power,  but  to  a mutual  satiety  which  may  prove 
very  injurious  to  the  future  harmony  between 
the  wife  and  husband.  It  is  even  still  better, 
where  it  is  possible,  for  the  wife  and  husband  to 
occupy  separate  bedrooms,  but  unfortunately  un- 
der our  present  social  economic  conditions  this 
is  a luxury  which  only  very  few  can  permit  them- 
selves. 

Some  even  go  to  the  extent  of  claiming  that 
the  husband  and  wife  should  not  live  in  the  same 
house,  but  should  occupy  separate  houses,  and 
should  visit  each  other  occasionally.  They  claim 
that  in  this  way  the  early  love  would  remain  in 
perpetual  flower  and  would  never  wither  and  fade. 
However,  this  is  an  academic  question  which  need 
not  he  discussed  here. 

Nor  will  I discuss  here  the  real  or  alleged  psy- 
chologic need  of  husband  and  wife  to  part  for  a 
month  or  two  every  year.  It  is  a question  which 
must  also  he  left  for  a more  advanced  book.  I 


MARRIAGE 


225 


consider  it,  however,  necessary  in  the  interest  of 
fairness,  to  state  that  the  necessity  for  separate 
bedrooms,  the  necessity  for  periodic  separations, 
is  very  far  from  being  felt  by  all  couples.  Very 
many  men  and  women  who  occupy  the  same  bed 
from  the  day  of  their  marriage  do  not  over- 
indulge, nor  do  they  reach  on  that  account  any 
satiety.  On  the  contrary,  they  become  so  used  to 
each  other  that  for  either  to  have  to  sleep  alone 
becomes  an  impossibility.  Whether  this  is  a de- 
sirable state  of  affairs  is  another  question.  Nor, 
as  mentioned  above,  is  the  need  for  any  separa- 
tion felt  by  all  couples.  I have  known  couples 
who  have  not  been  separated  for  as  much  as  a 
day  in  ten  or  twenty  years,  and  they  are  not  on 
that  account  tired  of  each  other,  nor  do  they  feel 
the  need  of  separation.  On  the  contrary,  when 
forced  to  separate  for  several  hours,  they  feel  un- 
comfortable. Some  couples  are  so  well  matched — 
and  it  is  such  couples  that  the  gods  themselves 
envy — that  they  always  feel  better  when  they  are 
together.  They  seem  to  complement  each  other 
and  wTien  alone  they  feel  as  if  a part  of  them  were 
lacking. 

This  goes  to  show  that  we  cannot  be  dogmatic  in 
making  any  dicta  about  human  relations  or  in 


226  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


laying  down  any  rules  for  human  conduct.  As 
each  human  being  differs  from  every  other  human 
being  in  the  world,  so  each  man  or  woman  is  a 
law  unto  himself  or  herself. 


Chapter  Thirty-Three 


PROSTITUTION 

THIS  is  not  the  place  to  go  into  a history  of 
prostitution  from  its  earliest  days,  to  dis- 
cuss its  significance,  its  causes,  its  danger,  or  to 
take  up  the  most  efficient  remedies  for  combating 
it  or  for  minimizing  its  evils.  A proper  discus- 
sion of  prostitution  requires  a good-sized  hook. 
Here  I wish  to  limit  myself  to  but  a few  points. 

1.  Prostitution  and  sexual  promiscuity  have 
existed  from  time  immemorial,  from  the  earliest 
dawn  of  history,  and  in  some  form  or  other,  most 
likely  in  a more  decent,  more  refined  form,  will 
continue  to  exist  for  many  many  centuries  to 
come,  probably  forever.  Commercialized  prosti- 
tution will  disappear,  but  illicit  relations — never. 

2.  Prostitution  is  the  chief  source  of  venereal 
disease,  the  latter  is  its  chief  curse.  But  it  is 
important  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  non-pro- 
fessional or  occasional  prostitute  is  a greater 
source  of  danger  than  is  the  professional.  The 
latter’s  livelihood  depends  upon  her  being  non- 

227 


228  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


diseased,  she  is  instructed  by  her  madam  or 
friends  how  to  guard  both  against  infection  and 
pregnancy,  and  she  has  facilities  for  using  sani- 
tary measures.  The  amateur  prostitute  lacks 
both  the  knowledge  and  the  facilities  to  apply  it. 

3.  The  evils  that  prostitution  inflicts  upon  so- 
ciety are  in  great  part  the  fault  of  society  itself. 
If  a body  of  people  are  despised,  ostracized, 
kicked  and  spat  upon,  driven  from  pillar  to  post, 
insulted  and  infected  with  impunity,  and  alto- 
gether treated  as  if  they  were  not  human  beings, 
they  have  a right  to  revenge  themselves  upon 
society;  and  the  wonder  is  that  they  do  not  re- 
venge themselves  more  often  or  more  cruelly. 
They  could  if  they  wanted  to.  . . . The  prostitute 
is  a victim  of  our  social-economic  system,  of  here- 
dity and  of  her  sex  instmct,  and  she  deserves  not 
contempt  and  brutality,  but  the  deepest  pity. 
Treat  the  prostitute  like  a human  being,  and  she 
will  behave  like  a human  being. 

4.  The  statement  that  all  prostitutes  are  venere- 
ally  diseased  is  untrue.  The  professional  prosti- 
tute of  the  better  class  generally  takes  good  care 
of  herself  and  is  seldom  diseased. 

5.  The  statement  that  the  prostitute  is  usually 
a mental  defective  is  untrue.  She  is  generally  of 
the  same  mental  level  as  the  class  from  which  she 


PROSTITUTION 


229 


comes,  and  often  possesses  a good  deal  of  culture. 

6.  The  statement  that  the  prostitute  is  a moral 
imbecile  is  untrue.  With  the  exception  of  her 
sexual  life,  she  may  and  often  does  possess  many 
virtues.  She  may  be  and  often  is  kind-hearted, 
generous,  charitable  and  ready  to  sacrifice  herself 
for  a friend.  Those  who  know  her  well  assert  that 
not  rarely  she  shows  a real  nobility  of  character. 
Not  a small  number  of  them  engage  in  prostitution 
in  order  to  support  a sick  mother  or  sister,  to  help 
a brother  through  college  or  to  support  or  bring 
up  a child. 

7.  The  statement  that  prostitutes  usually  die 
early,  four  or  five  years  after  entering  upon  their 
trade,  is  untrue.  On  the  average  they  live  as  long 
as  the  rest  of  the  community. 

In  short,  our  ideas  about  prostitutes  need  a 
thorough  revision. 


Chapter  Thirty-Four 


PROGRAM  FOR  A CHILD’S  SEX 
EDUCATION 

I AM  often  asked  to  give  a brief  outline  or 
program  of  a child’s  sexual  education.  Many 
parents,  and  particularly  those  who  know  my  dis- 
satisfaction with  the  usual  methods,  and  with  the 
ordinary  sex  books  for  boys,  ask  me:  “Tell  us, 
how  would  you  bring  up  a child  in  this  respect? 
What  would  you  tell  a boy?  How  would  you  in- 
struct him  in  sexual  hygiene?  How  would  you 
enlighten  him  in  all  those  matters  that  are  such  a 
source  of  worry  to  every  responsible  parent? 
What  would  you  do  to  guard  against  the  dangers 
which  beset  the  growing  boy?”  I will  try  to 
answer  these  questions  in  as  brief  a compass  as 
possible. 

First  of  all  it  must  be  remarked  that  the  at- 
mosphere is  the  most  important  thing  in  bringing 
up  a child.  Where  there  is  the  proper  atmos- 
phere, where  the  parents  themselves  are  enlight- 
ened, where  they  themselves  have  been  brought  up 

231 


232  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


or  have  educated  themselves  to  regard  the  sex 
organs  and  sex  functions  as  something  perfectly 
natural,  as  natural  as  any  other  organ  or  func- 
tion of  the  body,  and  not  as  something  disgrace- 
ful, something  to  he  ashamed  of,  and  not  to  be 
mentioned  at  all,  or  to  be  spoken  of  only  in  a 
whisper,  there  very  little  will  have  to  be  said. 
Merely  a hint,  or  a matter-of-fact  remark  will  be 
sufficient. 

Where  the  atmosphere  is  not  the  right  one, 
where  the  parents  themselves  are  saturated  with 
medieval  ideas  that  sex  is  something  filthy,  is  at 
best  a necessary  evil,  and  where  no  confidential 
relationship  exists  between  the  child  and  his 
father  or  mother,  there  the  right  bringing  up  of 
the  boy  will  be  difficult  or  impossible,  and  telling 
the  boy  will  be  difficult  or  impossible,  and  will  do 
little  or  no  good.  It  is  not  what  you  tell  a boy, 
it  is  the  life  he  lives,  it  is  the  life  his  parents  live 
that  influences  him.  I have  seen  houses  in  which 
children  without  being  directly  told  anything, 
grew  up  with  splendid  ideals.  Social  ideals  and 
sex  ideals.  And  I have  seen  children  who  were 
explained  and  explained,  told  and  told  what  to  do, 
and  what  not  to  do,  what  was  injurious  to  them, 
and  what  was  good  for  them,  who  were  frightened 
by  all  kinds  of  specters,  and  nevertheless  turned 


PROGRAM  FOR  SEX  EDUCATION  233 


out  sexually  very  vicious.  Merely  because  the 
proper  atmosphere  was  not  there,  and  because  the 
proper  confidence  and  loving  relationship  did  not 
exist  between  the  child  and  his  parents. 

As  a general  thing  I may  say  that  a puritanical 
atmosphere,  a strict  ascetic  religious  bringing  up 
is  usually  the  worst  for  the  boy.  It  is  such  boys 
that  usually  become  the  worst  masturbators  and 
the  worst  debauchees  if  they  do  not  become  im- 
potent. A pleasant,  joyous  atmosphere  with  a 
commingling  of  the  sexes,  but  free  from  any  vul- 
garity and  obscenity,  is  the  best.  In  a house  where 
there  are  growing  children,  children  between  the 
ages  of  two  and  twenty- two,  smutty  jokes  and 
smutty  acts  should  be  strictly  taboo.  Any  vulgar 
utterances  or  equivocal  stories  should  be  severely 
frowned  upon.  And  in  this  connection  I must  re- 
mark that  parents  generally  underestimate  the 
powers  of  observation,  of  understanding,  and  the 
memory  of  their  children.  Very  often  parents  or 
strangers  will  say  or  do  certain  things  in  the 
presence  of  a child  of  four  or  five,  that  they  would 
not  do  before  an  adult,  merely  because  they  think 
the  child  will  pay  no  attention  to  what  it  hears  or 
sees,  or  doesn’t  understand  its  meaning,  and  will 
not  remember  it  anyway.  This  is  a very  great 
mistake.  Children  are  very  acute  observers,  and 


234  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


when  apparently  engrossed  with  some  toy,  or 
when  they  simulate  sleeping,  they  will  watch  and 
listen,  and  even  if  a certain  statement  or  act  has 
no  meaning  for  them  at  that  time,  its  meaning 
becomes  apparent  to  them  later  when  they  are  a 
few  years  older;  and  it  often  exercises  a perni- 
cious effect. 

The  bringing  up  of  the  child  in  sexual  matters 
as  well  as  in  other  matters,  physical  or  mental, 
must,  as  all  thinking  people  will  understand,  com- 
mence not  at  puberty,  not  at  any  other  such  defi- 
nite time,  such  as  the  age  of  ten  or  nine,  but  from 
the  very  beginning,  one  might  say  from  the  first 
year  of  its  birth.  For  it  is  when  the  child  is  only 
a few  days  old  that  an  important  hygienic  meas- 
ure is  to  be  performed  which  will  save  the  child 
in  later  life  a great  deal  of  trouble.  I refer  to  cir- 
cumcision, to  the  removal  of  that  utterly  useless 
vestigial  remnant,  the  prepuce.  I have  stated 
elsewhere  that  the  prepuce  is  a very  frequent  fac- 
tor in  the  development  of  masturbation.  The  ac- 
cumulation of  smegma  is  apt  to  lead  to  inflamma- 
tion, irritation  and  even  ulceration  which  necessi- 
tates treatment,  which  means  handling  the  organs, 
a thing  which  should  he  avoided  as  much  as  possi- 
ble. If  phimosis  happens  to  develop  then  a whole 
list  of  troubles  is  apt  to  follow.  In  short,  from 


PROGRAM  FOR  SEX  EDUCATION  235 


every  point  of  view,  the  performance  of  circum- 
cision is  advisable,  both  as  a general  hygienic  and 
as  a special  sexual  measure. 

Complete  nudity  in  a child  should  not  be  for- 
bidden. On  the  contrary,  it  is  a good  thing  for  a 
young  child  to  play  in  the  nursery  for  two  or 
three  hours  a day  in  a state  of  complete  nudity. 
And  if  there  are  little  boys  and  little  girls,  they 
should  play  together.  The  children  get  used  to 
the  appearance  of  the  sex  organs  in  the  opposite 
sex,  and  that  terrible  curiosity  which  is  often  irre- 
sistible in  young  children,  and  which  is  often  the 
source  of  a good  deal  of  mischief,  is  hereby  elim- 
inated. 

The  general  bringing  up  of  the  child  is  beyond 
the  scope  of  this  book,  and  of  course  requires  a 
book  in  itself,  but  two  or  three  remarks  may  not 
be  out  of  place.  That  everything  should  be  done 
to  develop  the  child  into  a healthy,  well  function- 
ing machine  goes  without  saying,  but  it  does  not 
mean  that  the  child  should  be  encouraged  in  rough 
games,  such  as  football.  I do  not  believe  in  the 
educational  value  of  such  games.  In  my  opinion 
they  exert  a decidedly  injurious  effect  on  the 
boy’s  character.  A boy  need  not  be  a sissy,  but 
he  needn’t  be  a rowdy  either.  And  I know  that 
I am  very  heretical,  but  I must  express  my  heresy, 


236  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


even  if  by  doing  so  I run  the  risk  of  displeasing 
a big  audience,  that  I do  not  ascribe  the  same 
value  to  athletics  that  many  others  do.  Only  too 
often  the  development  of  the  body  is  accomplished 
at  the  expense  of  the  brain.  The  great  work  of 
this  world  has  not  been  done  by  the  big-muscled, 
deep-chested  giants,  and  to  recommend  athletic 
exercises  and  all  sorts  of  rough  games  as  a pro- 
phylactic against  the  awakening  of,  or  as  a rem- 
edy against  the  already  awakened  sex  instinct,  is, 
in  my  opinion,  very  foolish  indeed.  Only  too 
often  do  they  have  the  contrary  effect. 

What  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  a child, 
both  in  his  childhood  and  for  his  entire  future 
life,  is  the  development  of  Will-power.  It  is  a 
good  thing  to  impress  upon  the  child  as  soon  as 
it  is  capable  of  understanding,  that  the  path  of 
life  is  not  all  strewn  with  roses,  that  it  isn’t  all 
cake  and  jam,  that  life  is  a hard  struggle  in  which 
we  must  be  able  to  take  our  part  if  we  do  not  wish 
to  be  trampled  upon.  It  is  good  to  teach  it,  not  by 
commands,  but  by  explanations,  that  it  is  for  its 
benefit  to  resist  its  desires  and  to  overcome  temp- 
tations. The  Spartan  method  of  teaching  the 
child  to  bear  pain  without  giving  any  indication 
of  it  is  a good  one.  "When  a child  is  particu- 
larly fond  of  a thing,  it  is  good  to  make  it  occa- 


PROGRAM  FOR  SEX  EDUCATION  237 


sionally  renounce  it.  A very  good  discipline  is 
to  make  the  child  fast  now  and  then  for  either 
half  a day,  or  for  an  entire  day,  or  simply  to  make 
it  go  occasionally  without  a meal.  In  short,  it  is 
good  to  inculcate  in  the  child  the  principle  that  it 
is  to  its  benefit  to  be  able  to  command  his  instincts 
and  desires,  to  be  their  master,  and  not  their 
slave. 

Another  important  point  in  the  bringing  up 
of  a child  is  to  develop  in  it  the  Reasoning  fac- 
ulties. To  teach  it  not  to  take  anything  for 
granted,  but  to  demand  the  how  and  the  why  of 
everything.  Not  to  discourage,  as  so  many  stupid 
parents  are  doing,  but  to  encourage  in  it  the  ques- 
tion-habit that  always  demands  explanations. 
And  not  to  force  upon  the  child  your  social,  polit- 
ical or  religious  beliefs,  but  to  permit  it  to  fol- 
low the  trend  of  its  own  mind.  Either  convince 
him  of  the  correctness  of  your  beliefs  and  ideas, 
or  let  him  have  his  own  way. 

To  the  child’s  inevitable  question,  “Where  do 
I come  from?”  I would  answer  in  plain  unequiv- 
ocal language,  without  any  embellishment:  “You 
came  from  Mama’s  body.  You  were  first  a tiny 
little  bit  of  a thing,  and  mother  nourished  you 
with  her  blood  until  you  became  big  enough  and 
strong  enough  to  live  independently,  and  then  you 


238  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


came  out  of  mother’s  body.”  It  is  good  to  show 
the  child  at  as  early  an  age  as  possible,  the  growth 
of  various  plants,  the  coming  out  of  a little  chick 
from  its  egg,  the  birth  of  kittens  and  puppies,  etc. 
And  the  matter  can  be  explained  to  him  very 
clearly  by  analogy.  But  if  all  those  things  have 
not  been  shown  to  him,  and  he  asks  a question, 
then  there  should  be  no  beating  about  the  bush ; 
the  plain  truth  should  be  told.  And  it  is  a stupid 
thing  to  believe  that  telling  the  child  the  truth  will 
in  any  way  hurt  its  morals,  or  spoil  it.  On  the 
contrary,  if  properly  told,  its  affection  toward 
its  mother  is  increased  a hundredfold,  and  its  gen- 
eral attitude  toward  women  is  put  on  a higher 
plane. 

To  answer  a child’s  question  of  “Where  do  I 
come  from?”  with  the  stork  story,  is  of  course 
beneath  criticism,  but  trying  to  dodge  the  ques- 
tions relating  to  human  sexuality  by  lessons  in  the 
fertilization  of  plants,  of  frogs,  or  salmon,  or  by 
teaching  the  anatomy  of  the  tapeworm  will  not 
do  either.  The  proper  study  of  man  is  man,  and 
the  proper  study  of  human  sexuality  is  human 
sexuality,  and  not  the  sexuality  of  plants  or 
animals. 

At  about  the  age  of  ten  or  eleven — some  boys 
are  ripe  for  it,  but  some  are  not  until  the  age  of 
thirteen — a brief,  but  correct  course  in  the  Anat- 


PROGRAM  FOR  SEX  EDUCATION  239 


omy  and  Physiology  of  the  sex  organs  should  be 
given.  Every  man  should  know  something  about 
the  anatomy  and  physiology  of  the  sex  organs; 
the  same  as  it  is  good  for  him  to  know  the  anat- 
omy and  physiology  of  his  digestive  organs  or  his 
renal  organs.  But  to  believe,  as  so  many  do,  that 
sex  instruction  with  an  outline  of  sexual  anatomy, 
physiology  and  hygiene  will  ever  prevent  or  delay 
the  awakening,  or  even  moderate  the  manifesta- 
tions of  the  sex  instinct,  is  utterly  foolish.  It 
could  have  no  such  effect  as  a general  thing, 
though  in  a few  instances  it  may  prevent  some 
boys  from  indulging  in  masturbation,  or  make 
them  give  up  the  habit  if  they  are  already  indulg- 
ing, and  it  may  also,  by  teaching  the  danger  of 
venereal  disease,  keep  away  a certain  number 
from  illicit  intercourse.  But  on  the  other  hand, 
there  is  no  question  whatever  in  my  mind  (and 
here  you  will  see  I agree  with  the  most  reaction- 
ary puritan)  that  in  some  cases,  the  teaching  of 
sex  hygiene  does  prematurely  awaken  the  sex  in- 
stinct, leads  the  thoughts  in  a direction  for  which 
they  were  not  headed  before,  and  even  may  be 
the  cause  of  the  developing  of  a habit  which  might 
have  been  avoided  or  at  least  delayed.  In  some 
cases  the  very  lurid  picturing  of  the  evil  results 
of  masturbation  may  lead  a boy  into  the  habit 


240  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  MEN 

who  did  not  know  of  its  existence  before.  So 
while  I am  in  favor  of  a rational  truthful  course 
in  sex  hygiene  for  boys,  I do  not  deceive  myself 
for  one  moment  with  any  idea  that  it  would  lead 
to  an  extinguishment  of  the  sex  instinct,  or  that 
it  would  in  any  way  materially  influence  its  mani- 
festations. You  must  bear  this  in  mind,  sex  in- 
struction to  children  acts  and  always  will  act  as  a 
double-edged  sword. 

The  subject  of  masturbation  must  at  one  time 
or  another  occupy  the  mind  of  every  parent. 

The  proper  cure  for  masturbation  is  preven- 
tion. It  is  much  simpler  to  cure  a habit  before 
than  after  it  has  developed,  and  if  the  points 
which  I outlined  in  another  chapter  for  the  pre- 
vention of  masturbation  have  been  followed  by 
the  parents,  there  wall  be  very  little  danger  of 
that  habit  developing.  But  after  it  has  developed, 
the  boy  must  be  spoken  to  kindly  and  frankly 
about  the  injury  which  he  may  cause  himself.  He 
must  not  be  treated  as  if  he  were  discovered  in 
a crime,  as  if  he  were  a thief  or  a liar;  he  must 
be  simply  told  that  it  is  not  a nice  habit,  that 
continuing  it  he  is  apt  to  injure  the  growth  of 
his  body  and  brain.  That  he  would  not  grow  as 
tall  as  he  might  be  otherwise.  That  he  surely 
would  not  be  so  strong.  And  that  he  would  not  be 


PROGRAM  FOR  SEX  EDUCATION  241 


so  successful  in  Ms  studies.  That  he  might  fail 
in  his  examinations  if  he  keep  it  up.  And  if  the 
bov’s  will-power  has  been  at  all  developed,  he 
will  not  have  any  great  difficulty  in  giving  up  the 
habit.  But  the  parents  should  not  be  too  much 
flustered,  should  not  make  the  boy’s  life  miser- 
able, and  should  remember  that  it  is  only  excess 
that  is  dangerous,  that  an  occasional  indulgence 
in  the  habit  has  no  significance  whatever  and  is 
not  apt  to  injure  either  the  mind  or  the  body. 
The  boy  must  also  be  told  that  it  is  not  considered 
nice  among  refined  people  to  talk  about  the  genital 
organs,  to  make  jokes  about  them,  and  it  is  con- 
sidered very  bad  manners  to  touch  or  play  with 
one’s  own  genital  organs  or  those  of  other  boys 
or  girls. 

When  the  boy  gets  older  he  should  be  explained 
all  about  pollutions  or  wet  dreams.  He  should 
be  told  that  it  is  a natural  phenomenon,  that  he 
should  not  be  worried,  and  all  the  hygienic  meas- 
ures that  we  outlined  in  a previous  chapter 
should  be  applied  to  keep  the  emissions  within 
bounds.  He  should  also  be  told  that  if  those  pol- 
lutions become  too  frequent,  say  once  a week,  or 
twice  a week,  that  he  is  to  tell  his  father,  who 
would  take  him  over  to  a physician,  who  would 
attend  to  the  matter. 


242  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


When  the  hoy  is  still  older,  say  between  thir- 
teen and  sixteen,  he  is  to  be  explained  about  the 
existence  of  venereal  disease,  he  is  to  be  shown 
that  certain  wdmen  who  consort  with  men  promis- 
cuously are  apt  to  be  diseased,  and  that  men  must 
guard  against  them;  he  must  be  fully  informed 
of  the  terrible  nature  of  venereal  disease.  The 
nature  and  far-reaching  dangers  of  Gonorrhea 
and  Syphilis  are  to  he  pointed  out,  hut  even  here 
no  exaggerations  are  to  be  indulged  in.  While 
admitting  the  fact  that  the  sexual  instinct  awak- 
ens in  hoys  at  the  age  of  thirteen  to  fifteen,  it 
is  to  be  pointed  out  to  him  that  under  our  pres- 
ent social  conditions,  it  is  best  for  all  concerned 
for  a young  man  to  remain  continent  up  to  the  age 
of  twenty  or  twenty-two.  The  difficulties  of  re- 
sisting the  sex  impulse  are  not  to  be  underesti- 
mated, hut  the  young  man  is  to  be  shown  that  the 
injury  of  continence  up  to  that  age  is  but  very 
slight,  and  with  sufficient  will-power  the  task  of 
remaining  continent  is  not  an  insuperable  one. 

But  how  about  young  men  who  have  passed  that 
age?  What  should  we  advise  a young  man  of 
twenty-four  or  twenty-five  or  older  who  is  single? 
That  will  all  depend  upon  a man’s  sexuality.  For 
some  men  it  does  not  seem  to  he  difficult  to  ab- 
stain, even  to  the  age  of  thirty.  It  is  easy  to 


PROGRAM  FOR  SEX  EDUCATION  243 


abstain  for  people  who  have  a congenitally  weak 
sexuality,  and  relatively  easy  for  those  who  are 
great  students,  who  engage  in  important  scientific 
or  research  work.  They  do  suffer  occasionally 
from  the  non-satisfaction  of  the  sexual  desire,  but 
the  suffering  is  slight  and  the  injury  not  great. 
Such  people  should  naturally  abstain.  But  there 
are  some  people  to  whom  abstinence  after  the  age 
of  twenty-two  or  after  the  age  of  twenty-five  is 
practically  a physical  impossibility.  Their  men- 
tal and  psychic  suffering  is  truly  pitiable;  they 
cannot  sleep,  they  cannot  eat,  they  cannot  concen- 
trate their  minds.  The  struggle  uses  up  all  their 
energies,  they  become  irritable,  and  may  become 
hypochondriac.  Such  people  should  get  married, 
but  if  for  some  reason  or  other  they  cannot  get 
married,  they  should  be  advised  or  even  urged  to 
indulge  in  illicit  sexual  relations.  It  is  a much 
greater  crime  both  for  themselves  and  for  society 
to  continue  to  remain  continent,  than  it  is  to  have 
so-called  illicit  relations.  Such  people  should  be 
carefully  instructed  in  the  proper  use  of  Venereal 
Prophylactics.  Nobody  who  keeps  away  from  the 
use  of  alcohol,  who  is  more  or  less  discriminating 
in  his  female  partner,  and  uses  a venereal  prophy- 
lactic need  ever  get  a venereal  disease.  If  the 
young  man  is  fortunate  enough  to  get  in  intimate 


244  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


relations  with  a respectable  girl  or  lady  friend, 
or  if  he  has  a fiancee  with  whom  he  has  sexual 
relations,  but  to  whom  he  cannot  get  married  for 
some  years  to  come,  he  should  also  be  instructed 
in  the  proper  means  of  preventing  conception. 

Such  is  my  sex  education  program  extending 
from  the  day  of  the  boy’s  birth  to  his  twentieth  or 
twenty-fifth  birthday.  And  this  program  does 
not  contain  a single  exaggeration,  a single  word 
of  untruth,  a single  compromise,  not  a single  false 
note,  nor  a single  sop  to  Mrs.  Grundy,  and  it  is 
a feasible  program,  an  everyday  workable  pro- 
gram; and  what’s  more  it  is  a highly  moral  pro- 
gram, for  It  Contributes  to  the  Welfare  and 
Happiness  of  the  Individual  and  of  the  Race. 
It  benefits  everybody,  and  it  hurts  nobody.  By 
following  it  we  can  develop  healthy  and  happy 
young  men  who  will  be  healthy  and  happy  fathers. 
It  certainly  differs  from  the  sex  programs  laid 
out  on  our  lecture  platforms,  and  embodied  in 
some  of  our  sex  books  which  are  nothing  but  ser- 
mons in  disguise ; I consider  the  latter  of  no  value 
because  they  cannot  be  followed,  and  are  usually 
regarded  either  with  a smile  or  a sneer  by  the 
greater  part  of  the  audience.  In  my  opinion  the 
lurid  and  physiologically  untruthful  lectures  and 


PROGRAM  FOR  SEX  EDUCATION  245 


books  do  little  good  and  very  much  harm;  they 
are  to  a great  extent  responsible  for  the  spread 
of  three  evils.  Those  evils  are:  masturbation, 
impotence  and  hypocrisy. 


SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOE  WOMEN 

Some  sex  problems  are  primarily  male  prob- 
lems ; some  are  primarily  female  problems.  Thus, 
for  instance,  the  problem  of  nocturnal  emissions 
is  of  direct  concern  to  the  boy  only;  the  hygiene 
of  menstruation  concerns  the  girl  chiefly.  But  as 
sex  deals  with  the  relations  of  two  individuals 
of  opposite  sexes,  most  sex  problems  concern  both 
the  male  and  the  female.  It  is  therefore  im- 
portant that  men  should,  in  addition  to  Sex 
Knowledge  for  Men,  also  make  a study  of  Sex 
Knowledge  for  Women,  and  in  his  book  of  that 
name,1  the  author  has  treated  not  only  the 
primarily  female  sex  problems,  but  also  the  gen- 
eral problems  which  are  of  vital  importance  to 
both  sexes.  These  two  volumes,  Sex  Knowledge 
for  Men  and  Boys,  and  Sex  Knowledge  for  Women 
and  Girls,  complement  each  other  and  together 
make  a complete  elementary  treatise  on  Sex 
Knowledge.  Those  who  want  a more  advanced 

l Sex  Knowledge  for  Women  and  Girls.  Illustrated.  The 
Critic  and  Guide  Co.  Keady  for  delivery  October  1st,  1916, 


246  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


book  will  find  one  in  tbe  author’s,  Woman:  Her 
Sex  and  Love  Life.  For  men  and  women  of  in- 
telligence and  education.1 

1 Published  by  The  Critic  and  Guide  Company.  Price:  $3.00. 


Chapteb  Thirty-Five 


EXPLANATION  OF  TERMS 

DURING  my  fifteen  years  of  teaching  and 
writing  I have  learned  to  take  nothing  for 
granted.  It  is  better  to  be  a little  too  plain  than 
just  the  least  bit  obscure.  Terms  which  we  use 
every  hour  of  the  day,  which  are  a part  of  ns, 
which  are  as  familiar  to  ns  as  the  words  “bread 
and  butter,”  may  be  either  quite  obscure  or  at 
least  vague  and  indefinite  to  our  audience.  The 
physician,  particularly  when  speaking  to  the  lay- 
man, must  take  pains  not  to  use  too  technical 
terms,  or  when  such  terms  are  unavoidable,  he 
must  explain  them  or  make  them  clear  by  ex- 
amples. 

Such  terms  as  cell,  gland,  duct,  mucous  mem- 
brane, epithelium,  secretion,  excretion,  internal 
secretion,  viscera,  genito-urinary,  cardiac,  cere- 
bral, metabolism,  neurosis,  psychosis,  atrophy,  hy- 
pertrophy, hyperesthetic,  anesthetic,  sterile,  etc., 
etc.,  are  to  us  commonplace,  and  as  familiar  as 
the  names  of  articles  of  our  diet  or  clothing.  But 
they  are  not  so  to  the  average  layman  or  young 
man  who  did  not  take  a course  in  physiology.  I 
therefore  consider  it  advisable  to  devote  a special 

247 


248  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


chapter  or  glossary  to  a clear,  elementary  expla- 
nation of  terms  which  yon  may  have  come  across 
in  this  book  and  which  have  perhaps  not  been  ex- 
plained in  the  text. 

Acid. — A chemical,  either  liquid  or  solid,  which  com- 
bines with  alkalies  (or  bases)  to  form  salts  and 
which  has  an  acid  reaction,  that  is,  it  turns  certain 
blue  vegetable  colors  like  that  of  litmus  red.  The 
acids  all  have  a sour  taste  and  when  concentrated 
a corrosive  action.  The  gastric  juice  (the  juice  of 
the  stomach)  must  contain  a certain  amount  of 
acid  (hydrochloric)  in  order  to  be  capable  of  di- 
gesting the  food.  If  it  contains  too  much  acid,  we 
have  a condition  of  /ii/peracidity ; if  too  little  acid, 
we  have  a condition  of  hypoacidity.  All  acids  have 
a destructive  action  on  the  spermatozoa.  See 
Alkali. 

Alkali. — This  term  is  applied  principally  to  certain 
compounds  of  potassium,  sodium,  lithium,  ammo- 
nium, calcium  and  magnesium;  usually  to  their 
hydroxides,  carbonates  and  bicarbonates.  They  all 
have  one  characteristic : when  we  add  a small  quan- 
tity of  any  of  these  chemicals  to  red  litmus  paper, 
the  color  at  once  turns  from  red  to  blue,  and  any 
substance  which  acts  in  a similar  way  towards  red 
litmus  paper  or  red  litmus  solution  is  said  to  possess 
an  alkaline  reaction.  The  alkalies  are  the  opposites 
of  acids;  acids  turn  blue  litmus  red,  and  are  said 
to  have  an  acid  reaction.  When  we  combine  an 
alkali  and  an  acid  in  just  such  proportions  that 
the  compound  has  neither  an  acid  nor  an  alkaline 
reaction,  we  say  that  they  have  been  neutralized. 


EXPLANATION  OF  TERMS 


249 


The  reaction  of  the  blood  is  alkaline.  The  reaction 
of  the  urine  is  acid.  The  reaction  of  distilled  water 
is  neutral. 

Alkaline  Reaction. — Turning  red  litmus  blue.  See 
Alkali. 

Anabolism. — See  Metabolism. 

Anatomy. — The  science  that  deals  with  the  structure 
of  the  organs  of  the  body. 

Anemic.— Having  blood  of  poor  quality,  that  is,  not  pos- 
sessing the  proper  percentage  of  hemoglobin  or  red 
blood  corpuscles. 

Anesthetic. — Devoid  of  sensation  or  sensibility.  In- 
sensitive to  pain.  A substance  administered  to  pro- 
duce insensibility  to  pain  and  loss  of  consciousness. 
Chloroform  and  ether  are  general  anesthetics;  co- 
caine, ethyl  chloride,  etc.,  are  local  anesthetics  be- 
cause they  produce  anesthesia  or  insensibility  only 
in  the  areas  to  which  they  are  applied. 

Anorchid. — Having  no  testicles. 

Anterior. — Referring  to  the  front  portion. 

Antiseptic. — A substance  or  measure  destructive  to 
germs  and  preventing  decay  or  putrefaction. 

Ataxic. — Irregular;  lacking  the  proper  coordination  of 
the  muscles.  Ataxic  gait  is  the  peculiar  irregular 
gait  noticed  in  people  suffering  with  locomotor 
ataxia. 

Atonic. — Weak;  lacking  tone  or  strength. 

Atrophy. — The  wasting  and  shrinking  of  an  organ  or 
tissue.  The  liver,  the  kidneys,  the  prostate,  the 
testicles,  may  shrink  away  to  a very  small  propor- 
tion of  their  original  size.  In  some  cases  the  pros- 
tate and  testicles  may  become  so  small  as  to  be 
hardly  felt. 


250  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Axilla. — The  arm-pit — the  space  beneath  the  junction 
of  the  arm  and  shoulder. 

Barrenness. — Sterility  in  the  female.  Inability  to  have 
children. 

Biology. — The  science  of  all  phenomena  pertaining  to 
life  and  living  organisms. 

Calculus. — A stone.  Vesical  calculus — a stone  in  the 
bladder;  renal  calculus — a stone  in  the  kidney. 

Caliber. — The  internal  measurement  or  diameter  of  a 
tube : the  caliber  of  the  urethral  canal,  of  an  artery. 

Cardiac. — Referring  to  the  heart.  Cardiac  palpitation 
— rapid  and  tumultuous  beating  of  the  heart. 

Castrate. — A male  or  female  from  whom  the  sex  glands 
have  been  removed. 

Castration. — The  process  of  removing,  or  destroying 
(as  by  the  X-rays)  the  function  of,  the  testicles  or 
ovaries. 

Cell. — A minute  portion  of  a jelly-like  matter  (proto- 
plasm), animal  or  vegetable,  surrounded  by  a mem- 
brane or  envelope.  The  unit  of  living  matter. 
When  we  examine  organic  tissues  such  as  a leaf  oi 
flower,  or  a piece  of  skin,  muscle,  liver  or  kidney 
under  a microscope  we  find  that  they  do  not  con- 
sist of  formless  homogeneous  matter,  say  like  water, 
but  of  separate  units  of  various  shapes  glued  to- 
gether by  a cementing  material.  These  are  the  cells, 
and  they  form  the  bulk  of  all  living  matter.  Cells 
are  of  different  shape  and  perform  different  func- 
tions. Nerve  cells  are  different  both  in  shape  and 
function  from  muscle  cells,  gland  cells,  cells  of  the 
skin  or  mucous  membranes,  etc.  The  human  body 
consists  of  millions  and  millions  and  millions  of 


ISOLATED  EPITHELIAL  CELLS 


MUSCLE  CELLS 


EPITHELIAL  CELLS 


CELL  FROM 
BRAIN 


CELL  FROM 
SPINAL  CORD 


NERVE 

CELL 


252  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


cells.  In  size  the  cells  of  the  human  body  differ 
from  about  l/125th  to  l/5000th  of  an  inch  in  di- 
ameter. Some  cells,  like  the  white  blood-corpuscles, 
have  no  membrane  or  envelope. 

Cerebral. — Relating  to  the  cerebrum,  or  the  chief  por- 
tion of  the  brain. 

Cerebro-Spinal. — Relating  to  the  brain  and  spinal  cord. 

Cervix. — The  neck  or  narrow  portion  of  the  womb. 

Congenital. — Born  with  it,  existing  from  birth.  Con- 
genital blindness,  congenital  syphilis. 

Congestion. — An  excessive  accumulation  of  blood  in 
any  organ  or  part  of  the  body ; so  we  have  conges- 
tion of  the  brain,  congestion  of  the  liver,  congestion 
of  the  prostate. 

Continence. — The  same  as  abstinence : abstaining  from 
any  sexual  relations. 

Copulation. — Sexual  intercourse. 

Cornea. — The  anterior  part  of  the  eyeball. 

Cryptorchid. — A person  whose  testicles  are  hidden,  i.  e., 
have  not  descended  into  the  scrotum  {crypt os — 
hidden,  orchis — testicle). 

Cryptorchidism. — Retention  of  the  testicles  in  the  abdo- 
men or  inguinal  canal. 

Curetting,  Curettage. — The  process  of  cleaning  or 
scraping  the  inside  of  the  uterus  or  womb. 

Defloration. — The  rupture  of  the  hymen  by  sexual  in- 
tercourse. 

Degeneration. — Reduction  from  a higher  to  a lower 
type ; deterioration  of  tissue  to  a lower  or  less  func- 
tionally active  form ; a decline  into  a condition  of 
less  complexity ; the  process  of  getting  worse,  physi- 
cally, mentally  or  morally. 


EXPLANATION  OF  TERMS 


253 


Duct. — A tube  or  canal  which  carries  off  the  secretion 
from  a gland.  The  biliary  ducts  carry  the  bile  to 
the  intestines,  the  salivary  ducts  carry  off  the  saliva, 
the  seminal  ducts  carry  off  the  semen. 

Eczema. — A common  skin  disease,  expressing  itself  by 
itching  and  secretion. 

Ejaculation. — The  throwing  out;  specifically,  the 
throwing  out  or  ejection  of  the  semen  in  the  male 
or  of  a mucous  secretion  in  the  female. 

Ejaculatio  Precox  or  Pr/ecox. — Premature  ejacula- 
tion of  the  semen. 

Ejaculatory  Duct. — The  canal  which  carries  the  semen 
into  the  urethra;  it  is  formed  by  the  union  of  the 
vas  deferens  and  the  duct  of  the  seminal  vesicle. 

Embryo. — The  child  in  the  womb  before  the  end  of  the 
third  month.  After  that  it  is  called  Fetus. 

Endocrine  Organs  or  Endocrine  Glands. — Glands  hav- 
ing no  duets  and  no  external  secretions ; their  secre- 
tions are  absorbed  by  the  blood.  The  endocrine 
glands  are : The  thyroid  and  parathyroids,  the 

thymus,  the  suprarenals,  the  pituitary  glands,  and 
the  pineal  gland.  Many  glands  ( perhaps  all)  that 
possess  an  external  secretion,  have  also  an  internal 
secretion. 

Enema. — An  injection  into  the  rectum. 

Epithelium. — A layer  of  cells  covering  the  entire  sur- 
face of  the  skin  and  of  the  mucous  membranes.  The 
epithelial  cells  form  a compact  layer,  closely  ce- 
mented together  and  of  various  shapes. 

Erotic. — Pertaining  to  strong  love  or  sexual  desire ; now 
used  generally  in  its  grosser  sense. 

Erythrocytes. — The  red  blood  corpuscles. 


254  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Ethnology. — The  study  of  the  various  races  of  man- 
kind. 

Eunuch. — A man  from  whom  the  testicles  or  testicles 
and  penis  have  been  removed. 

Excretion. — This  term  is  applied  to  a secretion  which  is 
not  necessary  to  the  body,  hut  is  excreted  or  thrown 
off.  Saliva  and  gastric  juice  are  secretions  and  their 
presence  is  necessary  to  the  organism;  but  urine  is 
unnecessary  to  the  body,  if  retained  too  long  it 
would  prove  injurious;  the  body  must  get  rid  of 
it;  hence  urine  is  an  excretion. 

Extragenital. — Away  from  the  genital  organs.  A 
chancre  on  the  finger,  for  instance,  or  on  the  lip,  is 
referred  to  as  an  extragenital  chancre. 

Euthanasia. — Making  death  easy  or  painless  in  hope- 
less and  severely  suffering  cases. 

Fetus. — The  child  in  the  womb. 

Fissure. — A crack. 

Fistula. — A long  narrow  opening,  due  to  ulceration  or 
other  diseased  process  and  refusing  to  heal. 

Flagellum. — A little  tail,  or  lash-like  appendage  which 
helps  locomotion. 

Frigid. — Cold.  Devoid  of  sexual  desire. 

Function. — The  action  or  work  of  certain  organs.  For 
instance,  the  function  of  the  stomach  is  to  manufac- 
ture certain  juices  and  help  digest  the  food ; one  of 
the  functions  of  the  liver  is  to  secrete  bile ; the 
function  of  the  testicles  is  to  manufacture  semen; 
the  function  of  the  brain  is  to  think  and  to  feel. 

Functional. — Referring  to  the  function  of  an  organ, 
and  not  to  the  structure  of  the  organ.  It  is  op- 
posed to  organic.  An  organic  disease  is  one  in 


EXPLANATION  OF  TERMS 


255 


which  the  organ  shows  definite  changes.  If  the 
heart  is  fatty  or  arterio-sclerotic,  we  have  an  or- 
ganic disease  of  the  heart,  but  if,  for  instance,  it 
beats  too  rapidly,  but  we  are  unable  to  discover 
any  organic  lesion,  we  call  it  functional  disease  of 
the  heart. 

Gangrene. — The  death  or  mortification  of  a part  of  the 
body.  It  may  be  due  to  injury  or  lack  of  circula- 
tion. 

Gangrenous. — Affected  with  gangrene  or  gangrene-like. 

Genito-Urinary  Tract. — The  urinary  and  sexual  sys- 
tem. Comprises  in  man  the  kidneys,  ureters,  blad- 
der, penis  and  urethra,  testicles  and  the  epididy- 
mides, seminal  ducts,  seminal  vesicles  and  prostate. 

Gland. — A gland  is  an  organ  which  prepares  or  elab- 
orates special  fluids  or  secretions.  For  instance 
the  woman’s  breasts,  called  the  mammary  glands, 
manufacture  milk ; the  liver  manufactures  bile ; the 
salivary  glands  secrete  saliva;  the  gastric  glands 
prepare  the  gastric  juice ; the  pancreas  the  pan- 
creatic juice ; the  testicles  the  semen,  etc.  Some  of 
the  glands  prepare  true  secretions  which  are  neces- 
sary to  the  body,  like  those  enumerated  above; 
others  remove  from  the  body  injurious  or  waste 
products,  such  as  the  kidneys  and  the  sweat  glands. 
Most  of  the  glands  have  special  tubes  or  ducts  by 
means  of  which  they  pour  out  their  secretions; 
there  are  some,  however,  which  have  no  ducts  and 
their  products  are  absorbed  by  the  blood.  Such 
glands  are  called  the  ductless  glands,  or  glands  with 
an  internal  secretion.  They  are  also  called  endo- 
crine glands  or  endocritic  glands.  The  endocrine 


256  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


or  ductless  glands  are:  The  thyroid,  the  parathy- 

roid, the  pituitary,  the  thymus,  the  suprarenal 
glands.  The  testicle  and  the  ovary  also  manufac- 
ture important  internal  secretions  which  are  of 
great  importance  to  the  organism. 

Gonads. — The  essential  sex  glands,  that  is,  the  testes 
and  the  ovaries. 

Geoin. — The  part  where  the  abdominal  wall  joins  the 
thigh. 

Gumma  (plural  Gwnmata). — A syphilitic  swelling,  mak- 
ing its  appearance  in  the  tertiary  stage  of  the  dis- 
ease. There  is  no  organ  or  tissue  in  which  a gumma 
may  not  appear.  We  may  have  gummata  of  the 
muscles,  of  the  bones,  of  the  liver,  of  the  lungs,  of 
the  brain,  etc. 

Hernia. — A rupture. 

Herpes. — An  eruption  consisting  of  small  blisters  or 
vesicles.  If  it  occurs  on  the  genital  organs  it  is 
called  Herpes  genitalis  or  progenitalis. 

Hymen. — The  membrane  which  partially  closes  the  va- 
ginal orifice  in  virgins. 

Hyperesthesia. — Excessive  sensitiveness.  Supersensi- 
tiveness. There  may  be  hyperesthesia  to  pain,  to 
cold,  to  noise,  etc. 

Hypertrophy. — The  overgrowth  and  enlargement  of  an 
organ  or  tissue.  See  Atrophy. 

Incubation  Period. — The  time  between  an  infection  and 
the  appearance  of  the  symptoms  of  a disease.  It 
usually  takes  from  several  days  to  several  weeks 
for  the  germs  to  develop,  and  this  is  called  the  in- 
cubation period  or  stage  of  incubation. 


EXPLANATION  OF  TERMS 


257 


Internal. — Situated  or  occurring  within  or  on  the  in- 
side. Absorbed  into  the  blood  and  not  poured  out  on 
the  outside.  Applied  to  secretions. 

-ms. — The  termination  -itis  signifies  inflammation. 
Urethritis : inflammation  of  the  urethra ; prostatitis : 
inflammation  of  the  prostate ; bronchitis : inflamma- 
tion of  the  bronchi ; appendicitis : inflammation  of 
the  appendix,  etc.,  etc. 

Katabolism. — See  Metabolism. 

Keratitis. — Inflammation  of  the  cornea. 

Lesion. — Any  visible  diseased  change  in  an  organ  or 
tissue. 

Leucocytes. — The  white  corpuscles  of  the  blood. 

Libido. — Sexual  desire.  Strong  sexual  desire. 

Locomotor  Ataxia. — A disease  of  the  spinal  cord.  Char- 
acterized by  attacks  of  intense  pain,  difficulty  and 
irregularity  in  walking,  loss  of  sexual  power, 
paralysis  of  the  rectum  and  bladder,  etc.,  etc.  The 
disease  is  usually  due  to  syphilis. 

Lues. — A synonym  for  syphilis. 

Luetic. — Syphilitic. 

Metabolism. — The  process  by  which  organic  beings 
transform  foodstuffs  into  living  tissue,  and  by  which 
the  living  tissue  is  converted  into  waste-products; 
assimilation,  or  constructive  metabolism,  is  known 
as  anabolism ; dissimilation,  or  destructive  metabo- 
lism, is  known  as  katabolism. 

Migraine. — A severe  headache  generally  confined  to  one 
temple  or  one  side  of  the  head. 

Mobility. — The  power  of  moving  about. 


258  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Monorchid. — A person  having  but  one  testicle. 

Motility. — The  power  of  independent  motion. 

Mucous  Membrane. — The  interior  lining  of  the  body. 
Just  as  the  skin  constitutes  the  external  lining  of 
the  body,  so  there  is  an  interior  lining  which  be- 
gins at  the  nose  and  lips  and  lines  the  entire 
respiratory  and  alimentary  canals,  terminating  at 
the  urethral  meatus  and  the  anus.  The  mouth,  the 
nose,  the  throat,  the  larynx,  the  lungs,  the  heart, 
the  esophagus,  the  stomach,  the  intestines,  the  liver, 
the  kidneys,  the  bladder,  the  seminal  vesicles,  the 
urethral  canal,  the  uterus,  etc.,  etc.,  all  have  mucous 
membrane  lining. 

Mucus. — The  fluid  or  semi-fluid  slimy  substance  secreted 
or  excreted  by  the  mucous  membranes  of  the  body. 
The  mucus  generally  serves  the  purpose  of  lubrica- 
tion ; the  secretion  from  the  nose  is  called  nasal 
mucus;  the  secretion  from  the  urethra,  urethral 
mucus,  etc. 

Neurosis. — A nervous  disease  without  any  discoverable 
organic  basis;  a functional  disorder  of  the  nervous 
system. 

Neurotic. — Nervous;  affected  with  a neurosis. 

Neutralize. — To  combine  an  acid  and  an  alkali  in  such 
proportions  that  the  resulting  compound  will  have 
neither  an  acid  nor  an  alkaline  reaction,  hut  will 
form  a neutral  salt.  Washing  soda  is  strongly  alka- 
line, muriatic  acid  is  strongly  acid,  but  by  combin- 
ing them  in  the  proper  proportions,  we  get  com- 
mon table  salt,  which  is  neither  alkaline,  nor  acid, 
hut  neutral. 

Nocturnal  Emission. — The  loss  of  semen  during  the 


EXPLANATION  OF  TERMS 


259 


night.  Women  also  have  nocturnal  emissions,  but 
in  their  case  the  discharge  consists  of  mucus. 

Oophorectomy. — The  operation  of  removing  the  ovaries. 

Ophthaemia. — Inflammation  of  the  eye. 

Ophthalmia  Neonatorum. — Inflammation  of  the  eyes 
in  newborn  children.  Often  but  not  always  due  to 
gonorrhea. 

Orchis. — The  testis,  or  testicle — one  of  the  two  genital 
glands  of  the  male  in  which  the  spermatozoa  are 
formed. 

Orgasm. — The  culmination  of  or  highest  point  of  excite- 
ment in  the  sexual  act,  when  the  ejaculation  takes 
place. 

Ovariotomy. — The  operation  of  removing  the  ovaries. 

Parotid  Gland. — A gland  situated  on  each  side  of  the 
ear.  An  inflammation  of  the  parotid  gland  consti- 
tutes parotitis  or  mumps  and  is  very  apt  to  affect 
the  testicles  or  the  ovaries  and  make  the  patient 
sterile. 

Perineum. — The  region  at  the  outlet  of  the  pelvis;  the 
portion  of  the  body  between  the  genital  organs  and 
the  rectum ; it  is  bounded  in  front  by  the  pubic  arch, 
behind  by  the  coccyx,  and  at  the  sides  by  the 
tuberosities  of  the  ischium.  Vulgarly  called  the 
crutch  or  crotch. 

Phallus. — The  Greek  word  for  penis. 

Phobia. — An  abnormal  fear.  A person  may  have  a fear 
of  being  alone  in  a room,  or  of  crossing  the  street, 
or  of  being  in  a theater,  or  of  passing  a church, 
etc.  The  number  of  phobias  is  legion. 

Physiology. — The  science  treating  with  the  normal  func- 


260  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


tions  of  the  body ; the  science  explaining  the 
processes  of  digestion,  respiration,  circulation  of 
the  blood,  etc. 

Posterior. — Referring  to  the  back  portion. 

Preputial. — Belonging  to  the  foreskin  or  prepuce. 

Proctitis. — Inflammation  of  the  rectum. 

Prodromal. — Indicating  the  beginning  or  the  approach 
of  a disease. 

Prophylactic. — Preventive. 

Prophylaxis. — The  prevention  of  disease. 

Protoplasm. — The  essential  constituent  of  all  living  mat- 
ter, vegetable  and  animal.  ( Protos — first,  primitive, 
original ; plasma — plasm) . 

Psyche. — Everything  comprised  under  mind  or  soul. 
The  totality  of  the  human  mind.  The  sum  total 
of  our  thoughts  and  feelings.  In  Greek  mythology 
Psyche  was  a beautiful  maiden,  the  beloved  of 
Cupid,  and  the  personification  of  the  human  soul. 

Psychic. — Relating  to  the  mind  or  soul ; mental,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  physical.  The  pain  you  experience 
from  a toothache  or  from  the  prick  of  a pin  or 
from  a broken  leg  is  physical ; the  suffering  you 
feel  from  the  death  of  your  child,  from  reading  of 
the  atrocities  of  the  war,  or  from  being  scolded  is 
psychic.  Pleasures  may  also  be  divided  into  purely 
physical  and  psychic. 

Psychology. — The  science  which  tries  to  explain  the  ac- 
tivities of  the  human  mind  or  “soul,”  our  emo- 
tions or  feelings,  the  motives  of  our  conduct. 

Puberty. — The  period  at  which  a boy  or  a girl  becomes 
sexually  mature,  or  capable  of  generation.  The 
age  differs  in  various  races  and  climates,  ranging 
from  11  or  12  to  17  or  18. 


EXPLANATION  OF  TERMS 


261 


Pubes. — The  hair  above  the  external  genital  organs; 
also  the  region  covered  by  this  hair. 

Pubis. — The  pubic  bone.  There  are  two  pubic  bones 
and  together  they  form  the  pubic  arch. 

Reaction. — The  action  or  behavior  of  one  chemical  to- 
ward another;  in  a narrower  sense  the  behavior 
of  a chemical  towards  certain  colors  used  as  tests. 
When  a chemical  turns  red  litmus  paper  blue  we 
say  it  has  an  alkaline  reaction ; when  it  turns  blue 
litmus  paper  red  it  has  an  acid  reaction;  when  it 
neither  turns  red  litmus  paper  blue,  nor  blue  litmus 
paper  red,  we  say  it  has  a neutral  reaction.  Water 
has  a neutral  reaction. 

Roseola. — The  first  rash  that  appears  on  the  body  in 
syphilis.  It  generally  makes  its  appearance  in  about 
six  weeks  after  the  infection. 

Sac. — A bag,  or  bag-like  structure. 

Salpingectomy. — The  cutting  or  tying  of  the  Fallopian 
tubes;  this  operation  renders  the  woman  sterile, 
that  is,  incapable  of  having  children. 

Sclerosis. — A hardening. 

Secretion. — The  process  of  manufacturing  and  giving 
out  or  pouring  out  certain  fluids;  also  applied  to 
the  fluids  so  secreted.  For  instance,  the  stomach 
secretes  gastric  juice,  the  liver  secretes  bile,  the 
pancreas  secretes  pancreatic  juice,  the  breasts  se- 
crete milk,  the  kidneys  secrete  (or  rather  excrete) 
urine. 

Sedentary. — Referring  to  long  sitting  or  long  confine- 
ment in  the  house. 

Senile. — Weak  from  age,  physically  or  mentally. 


262  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Sepsis. — Poisoning  of  the  system  by  the  products  of 
putrefaction. 

Septic. — Poisonous  from  or  poisoned  by  putrefactive 
products. 

Sequels. — The  consequences  following  a disease.  For 
instance,  stricture  may  be  the  sequela  of  a neglected 
chronic  gonorrhea. 

Sexologist. — A person  specializing  in  sexology.  While 
the  all-round  sexologist  must  be  a physician,  various 
branches  of  sexology,  such  as  sexual  psychology  and 
sexual  ethics,  constitute  proper  studies  for  the  edu- 
cated layman. 

Sexology. — The  science  dealing  with  all  phases  of  sex. 
The  anatomy,  physiology  and  pathology  of  the  sex 
organs,  the  psychology  of  the  sex  instinct  and  of 
love,  the  sexual  perversions,  the  venereal  diseases, 
the  origin  of  the  sex  instinct,  its  relation  to  the  arts 
and  society,  and  last  but  not  least,  sexual  ethics — 
all  belong  to  the  domain  of  sexology. 

Sexual  Pathology  deals  with  all  the  abnormal  mani- 
festations of  sex,  such  as  excessive  sexual  desire, 
weak  or  absent  sexual  desire,  sexual  perversions, 
inversion,  etc.  In  the  wider  and  somewhat  loose 
sense  it  includes  also  anatomical  abnormalities  and 
venereal  diseases. 

Sexual  Physiology  explains  the  normal  sexual  func- 
tions: normal  sexual  desire,  the  way  the  sex  glands 
influence  the  body  and  the  mind,  the  influence  of 
the  mind  on  sexual  activity,  etc. 

Smegma. — A thick  ill-smelling  secretion,  of  a cheesy 
consistency,  found  in  men  under  the  prepuce  and 
in  women  around  the  labia  minora.  It  is  due  to 
uneleanliness.  Men  who  have  been  circumcised 


EXPLANATION  OF  TERMS 


263 


are  free  from  the  annoyance  of  accumulated 
smegma. 

Sterile. — This  word  has  two  meanings.  It  is  used  as  a 
synonym  for  barren  and  means  incapable  of  be- 
getting or  of  conceiving  children.  It  also  means 
free  from  any  germs. 

Sterility. — The  inability  to  beget  children  or  to  con- 
ceive. Female  sterility  is  also  spoken  of  as  barren- 
ness. 

Sterilize. — To  render  incapable  of  begetting  children  or 
of  becoming  pregnant.  Also  to  render  anything  free 
from  germs,  by  the  aid  of  heat  or  the  use  of  anti- 
septics. 

Stomatitis. — Inflammation  of  the  mouth. 

Strangury. — Painful  urination. 

Sublimation. — Any  refining  or  elevating  process.  In 
sexology  particularly,  the  turning  of  gross  sexuality 
into  higher  channels ; turning  the  energy  of  the  sex- 
ual instinct  towards  the  arts,  sciences  or  social 
work. 

Syphilis  Insontium. — Syphilis  of  the  innocent.  Re- 
ferred to  the  disease  when  contracted  innocently, 
outside  of  sex  relations ; from  utensils,  from  a towel 
used  by  a syphilitic,  from  a barber  or  dentist,  etc. 
Also  applied  to  hereditary  syphilis. 

Tabes  or  Tabes  Dorsalis. — A synonym  for  locomotor 
ataxia. 

Tabetic. — Referring  to  tabes  or  locomotor  ataxia. 

Torsion. — Twisting,  twisting  and  turning. 

Toxic.— Poisonous  or  resulting  from  poison. 

Toxin. — The  poison  generated  by  germs. 


264  SEX  KNOWLEDGE  FOR  MEN 


Vasectomy. — The  process  of  cutting  or  of  tying  the 
Vasa  deferentia,  so  that  no  semen  can  come  out. 
This  renders  the  man  sterile,  that  is,  incapable  of 
having  children. 

Venereal. — Pertaining  to  sexual  intercourse.  Derived 
from  Venus,  the  Roman  goddess  of  Love.  Venereal 
excess,  excess  in  sexual  intercourse.  Venereal  dis- 
ease, a disease  contracted  from  sexual  intercourse 
with  an  infected  person. 

Venereal  Diseases. — The  venereal  diseases  are  three  in 
number:  Gonorrhea,  syphilis  and  chancroid. 

Venereologist. — A specialist  in  venereal  diseases. 

Virility. — Sexual  power  in  the  male.  Also  applied  to 
other  pronounced  male  qualities. 


INDEX 


Abnormalities  of  testes,  75 
Abrasion  on  penis,  103 
Abscess  in  prostatitis,  183,  184 
Acids  and  spermatozoa,  34,  39 
Acute  stage  in  gonorrhea,  119 
Adenitis,  173 

Advice  to  venereal  patients,  re 
matrimony,  162,  163 
Affections  of  genital  organs, 
minor,  171 

Age  for  sexual  indulgence,  212 
of  sexual  impotence,  77,  78 
Alcohol,  effects  of,  in  venereal 
diseases,  111 

Alcoholism,  a cause  of  sexual 
impotence,  79 
Ampulla,  22 

illustration  of,  27 
Anterior  gonorrhea,  acute,  120 
Antiseptics,  chemical,  108. 
Appearance  of  child  in  heredi- 
tary syphilis,  142. 
Argyrol,  an  antiseptic,  109 
Arthritis,  gonorrheal,  203 
Aspermatism,  96 
Aspermia,  96 

Athletics  and  sex  instinct,  236 
Atrophy  of  the  testes — a cause 
of  sexual  impotence,  73 
Avoidance  of  quacks  in  venereal 
disease,  115 


Balanitis,  172 
Baldness  in  syphilis,  136 
Barbers  and  venereal  disease, 
113 

Baths  in  gonorrhea,  124 
Bed  linen  and  venereal  disease, 
113 

Beverages  in  gonorrhea,  124 
Bias  in  attitude  towards  sex 
questions,  209,  210,  211 
Bicycling  in  gonorrhea,  123 
Blennorrhagia,  117 
Blennorrhea,  117 
Blindness  due  to  ophthalmia 
neonatorum,  206 
in  children,  121 
Bridal  night,  220 
Bubo,  156,  157 

Calomel,  an  antiseptic,  109,  110 
Caput  gallinaginis,  26 
Castrated  and  non-eastrated  an- 
imals, difference  between, 
32 

animals,  names  of,  32 
Castration,  32 

Catheter  life  in  hypertrophy  of 
prostate,  192 

Chancre,  hardness  of,  132 
syphilitic,  132 
Chancroid,  98,  155,  156 


265 


INDEX 


266 

Character  of  prostitute,  229 
Child,  development  of  reasoning 
faculties,  237 
will  power  in,  236 
Chordee,  174,  175 
Circulatory  symptoms  in  sexual 
neurasthenia,  90 
Circumcision,  103,  104,  105,  173, 
234,  235 

Civilization,  as  a cause  of  sex- 
ual impotence,  84 
Coitus  interruptus,  a cause  of 
sexual  impotence,  79 
Complete  abstinence  as  a cause 
of  prostatitis,  185 
Condom,  106,  107,  108 
Constipation  in  gonorrhea,  124 
Contagiousness  of  gonorrheal 
discharge,  120 
Continence,  injury  of,  242 
Corona,  23 

Corpora  cavernosa,  23 
Corpus  spongiosum,  24 
Corrosive  sublimate,  108 
Course  of  gonorrhea,  121 
syphilis,  130,  131,  132 
Cowper’s  glands,  29,  34 
Cry  of  child  in  hereditary  syph- 
ilis, 142 

Cryptorchidism,  a cause  of  sex- 
ual impotence,  75 
Cure  in  gonorrhea,  120,  160, 161 
Curiosity  in  child,  235 
Cystitis  due  to  hypertrophied 
prostate,  191 

Dancing,  avoidance  of  in  gonor- 
rhea, 123 

Dangers  of  sex  instruction  to 
children,  239,  240 


Deafness  in  hereditary  syph- 
ilis, 143 

Dentists  and  venereal  disease, 
113,  114 

Diagnostic  triad  of  hereditary 
syphilis,  143 
Diet  in  gonorrhea,  123 
Digestive  symptoms  in  sexual 
neurasthenia,  90 
Direct  infection  in  syphilis, 
128 

Discharge  from  urethra,  118 
Diseased  prostate,  cause  of  ster- 
ility, 96 

seminal  vesicles,  cause  of 
sterility,  96 

Disturbance  of  urine  in  hyper 
trophied  prostate,  191 
Dreams,  erotic,  63 
Drugs,  a cause  of  sexual  im- 
potence, 79 

Ejaculatory  duct,  illustration 
of,  27 
ducts,  26 
Epididymis,  22 
Epididymitis,  195 
causes  of,  195 
gonococcal,  197 
symptoms  of,  196 
Erection,  25 

Erections,  painful,  173,  174 
painful  in  gonorrhea,  119 
Eruptions  in  syphilis,  135 
Eunuchs,  prevalent  opinion  of, 
76 

Exaggerated  statements,  100 
Exaggerations  of  evils  of  ve- 
nereal disease,  242 


INDEX 


Eye,  gonorrheal  inflammation 
of,  120 

Eyes,  gonorrhea  of,  205 

False  sexual  desire  in  stricture, 
202 

Fear  of  disease  in  sexual  neu- 
rasthenia, 92,  93 
First  eruption  in  syphilis,  135 
Frequency  of  sex  relations,  222 
Fright,  a cause  of  sexual  im- 
potence, 80 

Games,  educational  value  of, 
235,  236 

General  measures  in  treatment 
of  gonorrhea,  122 
paresis,  139 

Genital  organs,  circumcision  for 
minor  affections  of,  173 
Genital  organs,  minor  affections 
of,  171 

Genitals,  cleanliness  of,  103 
Germ  of  gonorrhea,  117 
Gleet,  122 

as  symptom  of  stricture,  201 
Globus  major,  hardening  of, 
in  epididymitis,  197 
Globus  minor,  hardening  of,  in 
epididymitis,  197 
Gonorrhea,  98,  117 
acute  stage  in,  119 
anterior,  acute,  120 
as  cause  of  impotence,  74 
as  cause  of  spermatocystitis, 
198 

avoidance  of  dancing  in,  123 
baths  in,  124 
bicycling  in,  123 
constipation  in,  124 


267 

Gonorrhea,  contagiousness  of 
discharge  in,  120 
course  of,  121 
cure  in,  120 
diet  in,  124 
discharge  in,  119 
general  measures  in  treatment 
of,  122 
germ  of,  117 
horseback  riding  in,  123 
incurable  cases  of,  122 
in  relation  to  hypertrophied 
prostate,  190 
lifting  in,  123 
micturition  in,  119 
of  the  eyes,  205 
painful  erections  in,  119 
principal  cause  of  sterility,  96 
prodromal  stage  in,  118 
pus  in,  124 

sexual  relations  in,  123 
strangury  in,  120 
treatment  of,  122 
Gonorrheal  arthritis,  203 
inflammation  of  eye,  120 
ophthalmia,  120 
urethritis,  117 
Gummata  in  syphilis,  137 

Hair,  falling  out  of  in  syph- 
ilis, 136 

Health  and  sexual  abstinence, 
210,  211,  212 
Hematocele,  180 
Hereditary  syphilis,  129,  141 
appearance  of  child  in,  142 
case  of,  145,  146 
cry  of  child  in,  142 
deafness  in,  143 
diagnostic  triad  of,  143 


INDEX 


268 

Hereditary  syphilis,  Hutchin- 
son’s teeth  in,  142 
keratitis  in,  143 
rash  in,  142 
sign  of,  143,  144 
snuffles  in,  141 
Wassermann  test  for,  144, 
145 

Heredity  in  sexual  neurasthe- 
nia, 85 

Hernia,  a cause  of  sexual  im- 
potence, 76 

Herpes  of  the  genitals,  177,  178 
treatment  of,  178 

Horseback  riding  in  gonorrhea, 
123 

Hutchinson ’s  teeth  in  heredi- 
tary syphilis,  142 

Hydrocele,  180 
as  cause  of  sexual  impotence, 
76 

Hygienic  rules  to  avoid  venereal 
disease,  112,  113 
treatment  in  syphilis,  149, 
150 

Hymen,  220 

Hypochondriac  ideas  in  sexual 
neurasthenia,  93 

Ideas,  erroneous,  about  prosti- 
tutes, 228,  229 

Ignorance  in  regard  to  cause 
of  hypertrophy  of  pros- 
tate, 190 

of  physical  facts  of  mar- 
riage in  brides,  220 

Illicit  sexual  relations,  243 

Immediate  treatment  in  syph- 
ilis, importance  of, 
150 


Imperfect  erections  in  stricture, 
202 

Indirect  infection  in  syphilis, 
128 

Infection  in  syphilis,  two  ways 
of,  128 

Influence  of  parents  ’ lives  on 
children,  232,  233 
Injury  of  continence,  242 
Intellectual  pursuits,  a cause  of 
sexual  impotence,  80 
Intense  desire  a cause  of  pre- 
mature ejaculation,  81 
Intercourse  during  menstrua- 
tion, 223 

Internal  secretion  of  testicles, 
31 

Iritis  in  syphilis,  136 
Itching  about  genitals,  88 

Joints  affected  in  gonorrheal 
rheumatism,  203 
Jokes  about  genital  organs, 
241 

Keratitis  in  hereditary  syphilis, 
143 

Lack  of  ambition,  65,  66 
concentration,  65 
Libido  and  sterility,  198 
Libidogen,  32 
Lifting  in  gonorrhea,  123 
Literature,  the  two  classes  of, 
11 

Littre’s  glands,  34 
Locomotor  ataxia  in  syphilis, 
138,  139 

Long  engagements,  a factor  in 
sexual  impotence,  81 


INDEX 


269 


Loss  of  memory,  66 
Lymphadenitis,  173 

Male  characteristics,  19 
Manicurists  and  venereal  dis- 
ease, 114 

Marital  hygiene,  necessity  for 
advice  about,  219 
Marriage,  217 
and  sexual  impotence,  218 
Masturbation,  45 
as  cause  of  prostatitis,  185 
case  of,  51,  52 
change  in  our  conception  of, 
46 

giving  up  of,  49 
habit  of,  46 
immorality  of,  48 
in  child,  240,  241 

relation  to  hypertrophied 
prostate,  189 

occasional  indulgence  in, 

46 

prevention  of,  57,  58,  59,  60, 
61 

psychic,  61 

quack  literature  on,  45 
Masturbator’s  face,  50 
Matrimony,  advice  to  venereal 
patients  regarding,  162 
and  venereal  disease,  159 
examination  for  fitness  for, 
160 

Meatus,  25 

Memory  in  child,  234 
Mental  deficiency  in  prostitutes, 
228,  229 

welfare  and  sex  instinct,  214 
Mercuric  chloride,  108 
Mercury  in  syphilis,  148,  149 


Micturition  in  gonorrhea,  119 
Mistaken  diagnosis  of  herpes  by 
quacks,  178 
Mixed  infection,  157 
Modern  dances,  cause  of  pollu- 
tions, 

Mood  in  sexual  neurasthenia, 
91,  92 

Mucous  patches,  135 
Mumps,  a cause  of  sterility, 
96 

Necrospermia,  96 
Nervous  disorders,  origin  of,  in 
childhood,  44 

Neurasthenics,  effect  of  inter- 
course on,  87 

Neuroses  and  sexual  abstinence, 
215 

Nudity  in  child,  235 
Nursing  of  syphilitic  child,  143 

Obesity,  a cause  of  sexual  im- 
potence, 79 

Obscene  literature,  cause  of  pol- 
lutions, 67 

Occupation,  effect  of,  on  sexual 
intercourse,  222 
Oligospermia,  96 
Ophthalmia  neonatorum,  205 
causes  of,  205 
prophylaxis  of,  205 
Ostracism  of  prostitute,  227 

Pains  and  aches  in  sexual  neu- 
rasthenia, 88,  89 
lightning  in  locomotor  ataxia, 
138,  139 

Paraphimosis,  172 
Paresis,  general,  139 


270 


INDEX 


Penis,  23,  25 

abrasion  on,  103 
Perversions,  origin  of,  in  child- 
hood, 44 
Phallus,  23 
Phimosis,  171 

as  cause  of  sexual  impotence, 
77 

Phobias  in  sexual  neurasthenia, 
94 

Physical  welfare  and  sex  in- 
stinct, 214 
Pollution  habit,  64 
Pollutions,  63 
abnormal,  64 

and  salacious  shows,  67,  68 
caused  by  obscene  literature, 
67 

cold  feet  a cause  of,  66 
constipation  a cause  of,  67 
diurnal,  68 
explanations  of,  241 
hygienic  treatment  of,  66,  67 
in  stricture,  202 
medical  treatment  of,  66 
mental  symptoms,  65 
method  of  sleeping  in,  67 
normal,  63 
pathologic,  64 

physical  symptoms  of,  64,  65 
physiologic,  63 
Posthitis,  172 

Potassium  iodide  in  syphilis, 
149 

permanganate,  108 
Premature  abuse,  a cause  of  sex- 
ual impotence,  76 
awakening  of  sex  instinct, 
239,  240 

ejaculation  in  stricture,  202 


Pre-natal  treatment  to  prevent 
ophthalmia  neonatorum, 
206 

Prepuce,  23,  105,  106 
factor  in  masturbation,  234 
Primary  lesion  in  syphilis,  132 
stage  of  syphilis,  130,  131 
Prodromal  stage  in  gonorrhea, 
118 

Program  for  child’s  sex  educa- 
tion, 231 

Promiscuous  kissing  and  ve- 
nereal disease,  114 
Prophylactic  measure,  a simple 
efficient,  106 

Prophylactics,  patent,  110,  111 
Prostate,  28 

catheter  life  in  hypertrophy 
of,  192 

cystitis  due  to  hypertrophy 
of,  191 

disturbance  of  urine  in  hyper- 
trophy of,  191 
enlargement  of,  189 
function  of,  33 
gland,  see  Prostate 

diseases  of,  in  sexual  im- 
potence, 77 

gonorrhea  in  relation  to 
hypertrophy  of,  190 
hypertrophy  of,  189 
hypertrophy  of  and  sexual  ex- 
cesses, 190 

ignorance  in  regard  to  cause 
of  hypertrophy  of,  190 
illustration  of,  24 
masturbation  in  relation  to 
hypertrophy  of,  189 
removal  of  hypertrophied,  192 
secretion  of,  96,  97 


INDEX 


Prostate,  symptoms  of  hyper- 
trophied, 190 
Prostatie  urethra,  28 
Prostatitis,  abscess  in,  183,  184 
acute,  181 

symptoms  of,  182 
and  gonorrheal  rheumatism, 
203 

as  a complication  of  gonor- 
rhea, 181,  182 

caused  by  masturbation,  185 
by  sexual  excesses,  185 
chronic,  185 

and  sexual  neurasthenia, 
187 

causes  of,  185 
frequent  urination  in,  186, 
187 

general  symptoms  of,  187 
local  symptoms  of,  186 
necessity  for  proper  treat- 
ment of,  187 
nervous  symptoms  of,  187 
psychic  irritability  in,  187 
sensory  symptoms  of,  186 
sexual  symptoms  of,  187 
complete  abstinence  as  a cause 
of,  185 
course  of,  183 
Prostatorrhea,  69 
Prostitute,  character  of,  229 
ostracism  of,  227 
Prostitutes,  amateur,  and  ve- 
nereal disease,  227,  228 
Prostitution,  227 
and  venereal  disease,  227 
evils  of,  228 

Protargol,  as  an  antiseptic, 

109 

Psychic  masturbation,  61,  62 


271 

Psychoses  and  sexual  absti- 
nence, 215 
Puberty,  41 

age  of  in  boys,  42 
signs  of,  41 

Public  drinking  cup  and  vene- 
real disease,  113 
towel  and  venereal  disease, 
113 

Puritanism  and  the  child,  233 
Pus  in  gonorrhea,  124 

Quack  literature,  10 
on  masturbation,  45 
Quacks  and  syphilis,  147 

and  venereal  disease,  165,  166 
in  treatment  of  sexual  im- 
potence, 82 

Question  of  child,  how  to  an- 
swer, 237,  238 

Rash  in  hereditary  syphilis,  142 
Reasoning  faculties,  develop- 
ment of  in  child,  237 
Removal  of  hypertrophied  pros- 
tate, 192 

Repression  of  sex  instinct,  212, 
213,  214 

of  sex  manifestations,  a cause 
of  sexual  neurasthenia, 
83 

Reproductive  organs,  external, 
19 

internal,  19 

Retention  of  urine  in  stricture, 
202 

Retropollutions  in  stricture,  202 
Rheumatism,  gonorrheal,  203 
Roseola,  syphilitic,  134 


INDEX 


272 

Salacious  shows,  cause  of  pollu- 
tions, 67,  68 

Salvarsan  in  syphilis,  149 
Sane  attitude  towards  mastur- 
bation, a plea  for,  55 
Scrotum,  abnormal  and  vari- 
cocele, 194 

Secondary  sex  characters,  32 
stage  of  syphilis,  131 
Self-abuse,  45 

Self-medication  in  syphilis,  147 
Semen,  35 

composition  of,  35 
Seminal  duct,  22,  26 
vesicles,  26 

vesicle,  illustration  of,  27 
vesiculitis  and  gonorrheal 
rheumatism,  203 
Separate  beds,  223,  224 

houses  for  married  couples, 
224 

Separations,  periodic,  for  mar- 
ried couples,  225 
Sex  books,  popular,  7 
education  of  child,  239,  240, 
241,  242,  243,  244 
of  child,  program  for, 
231 

instinct,  activity  of,  43 
and  athletics,  236 
and  mental  welfare,  214 
and  physical  welfare,  214 
and  will  power,  213 
in  man,  16 

of  child  and  environment, 
231,  232 

premature  awakening  of, 
239,  240 

question  of  the  early  ac- 
tivity of,  43 


Sex  instinct,  quiescent  stage  in 
children,  43 

repression  of,  212,  213,  214 
instruction  to  children,  dan- 
gers of,  239,  240 
organs,  physiology  of,  31 
questions,  bias  in  attitude 
towards,  209,  210,  211 
relations,  frequency  of,  222 
Sexual  abstinence,  243 

and  health,  210,  211,  212, 
213,  214,  215 
and  impotence,  214 
and  neuroses,  215 
and  psychoses,  215 
and  sexual  necessity,  209 
as  cause  of  sexual  impo- 
tence, 78,  79 

excess,  as  cause  of  prostatitis, 
185 

as  cause  of  sexual  impo- 
tence, 78 

in  relation  to  hypertrophied 
prostate,  190 
impotence,  71 
age  of,  77,  78 
and  civilization,  84 
and  diseases  of  prostate 
gland,  77 
and  obesity,  79 
and  phimosis,  77 
and  premature  abuse,  76 
and  sexual  abstinence,  78, 
79 

and  sexual  excess,  78 
and  sterility,  198 
and  stricture,  75 
and  unhappy  marriages, 
218 

and  varicocele,  76 


INDEX 


Sexual  impotence,  and  worry, 
79,  80 

caused  by  alcoholism,  79 
caused  by  coitus  interrup- 
ts, 79 

caused  by  cryptorchidism, 
75 

caused  by  drugs,  79 
caused  by  fright,  80 
caused  by  gonorrhea,  74 
caused  by  hydrocele,  76 
caused  by  intellectual  pur- 
suits, 80 

causes  of,  73,  74 
factors  in,  71 
long  engagements  a factor 
in,  81 

most  frequent  varieties  of, 
73 

organic,  73,  75 
principal  varieties  of,  72 
psychic,  73 
senile,  73 

treatment  of,  by  quacks,  82 
indulgence,  age  for,  212 
intercourse  and  occupation, 
222 

neurasthenia,  83 

and  repression  of  sex  in- 
stinct, 83 
and  work,  91 
causes  of,  83 

circulatory  symptoms  in,  90 
digestive  symptoms  in,  90 
due  to  prostatitis,  chronic, 
187 

fear  of  disease  in,  92,  93 
frequency  of  urination  in, 
89 

heredity  in,  85 


273 

Sexual  neurasthenia,  hypochon- 
driac ideas  in,  93 
mood  in,  91,  92 
phobias  in,  94 
special  senses  in,  91 
symptoms  of,  86 
potency  and  marriage,  218 
relations  and  gonorrhea,  123 
symptoms  of  stricture,  202 
Signs  of  hereditary  syphilis, 
143,  144 

Silver  nitrate,  as  an  antiseptic, 
109 

Snuffles  in  hereditary  syphilis, 
141 

Solitary  vice,  45 
Sore  throat  in  syphilis,  135 
Special  senses  in  sexual  neuras- 
thenia, 91 
Spermatic  cord,  20 
Spermatoeystitis,  198 
Spermatorrhea,  68,  69 
of  defecation,  69 
of  micturition,  69 
Spermatozoa,  36 
and  acids,  34,  39 
illustration  of,  37 
number  of  during  intercourse, 
36 

of  animals,  illustrations  of, 
38 

Spermatozoids,  36 
Spermia,  36 

Spirocheta  pallida,  133,  134 
discoverers  of,  134 
illustration  of,  133 
refringens,  134 
Sterility,  95 

and  gonorrhea,  96 
and  libido,  198 


INDEX 


274 

Sterility,  and  sexual  impotence, 
198 

caused  by  diseased  prostate, 
96 

by  diseased  seminal  vesi- 
cles, 96 
by  mumps,  96 

due  to  epididymitis,  195,  197, 
198 

incurable  cases  of,  97 
in  male,  causes  of,  95 
Strangury  in  gonorrhea,  120 
Stricture,  201 

as  cause  of  sexual  impotence, 
75 

imperfect  erections  in,  202 
pollutions  in,  202 
premature  ejaculation  in,  202 
retention  of  urine  in,  202 
retropollutions  in,  202 
sexual  symptoms  of,  202 
symptoms  of,  201 
Sublimation  of  sex  instinct, 
213 

Summary  on  venereal  prophy- 
laxis, 112 

Symptoms  of  gonorrhea,  ap- 
pearance of,  118 
Synonyms  of  syphilis,  129,  130 
Syphilis,  98,  127 
and  quacks,  147 
and  salvarsan,  149 
baldness  in,  136 
change  in  attitude  towards, 
128 

course  of,  130,  151 
direct  infection  in,  128 
falling  out  of  hair  in,  136 
hygienic  treatment  in,  149, 
150 


Syphilis,  importance  of  im- 
mediate treatment  in, 
150 

indirect  infection  in,  128 
insonitium,  129 
iritis  in,  136 

locomotor  ataxia  in,  138,  139 
mercury  in,  148,  149 
potassium  iodide  in,  149 
primary  lesion  in,  132 
primary  stage  of,  130,  131 
self-medication  in,  147 
secondary  stage  of,  131 
secrecy  in  regard  to,  127 
synonyms  of,  129,  130 
tabetic  gait  in,  138 
tertiary  stage  of,  131,  132, 
136,  137 

treatment  of,  147 
two  ways  of  infection  in,  128 
Venus’  crown  in,  135 
Syphilitic  gummata,  137 
sore  throat,  135 

Tabetic  gait  in  syphilis,  138 
Tertiary  stage  of  syphilis,  131, 
132,  136,  137 

Testes,  abnormalities  of,  75 
atrophy  of,  73 
Testicles,  19 
blow  on,  21 
pain  in,  88 

Treatment  by  quacks  in  venereal 
disease,  eases  of,  166, 
167,  168,  169 

of  newborn  to  prevent  oph- 
thalmia neonatorum,  206, 
207 

of  syphilis,  147 


INDEX 


Urethra,  24 
burning  in,  118 
discharge  from,  118 
illustration  of,  27 
structure  of,  25 

Urethral  canal,  discharges  from, 
179 

discharge,  microscopic  exam- 
ination of,  180 
stoppage  of  in  epididymitis, 
197 

Urethritis,  gonorrheal,  117 
non-gonorrheal,  179 
Urethrorrhea,  69 
Urination,  frequency  of  in  sex- 
ual neurasthenia,  89 
Urine,  change  in  in  stricture, 
201 

Varicocele,  23,  193 
as  cause  of  sexual  impotence, 
76 

cause  of,  193 
remedies  for,  194 
Vas  deferens,  22 
illustration  of,  27 
Venereal  disease,  242 

and  amateur  prostitutes, 
227,  228 

and  barbers,  113 
and  bed  linen,  113 
and  dentists,  113,  114 
and  manicurists,  114 
and  matrimony,  159,  162, 
163 

and  promiscuous  kissing, 
114 


275 

Venereal  disease  and  prostitu- 
tion, 227 

and  public  drinking  cup, 
113 

and  public  towel,  113 
and  quacks,  165,  166,  167, 
168,  169 

effects  of  alcohol  in,  111 
exaggerations  of  evils  of, 
242 

hygienic  rules  in  avoidance 
of,  112,  113 
diseases,  98 
prophylactics,  243 
prophylaxis,  101,  102,  103 
summary  on,  112 
warts,  178,  179 

Venus’  crown  in  syphilis,  135 

Verumontanum,  26 

Wassermann  test  for  hereditary 
syphilis,  144,  145 
in  syphilis,  accuracy  of, 
152,  153 

Wet  dreams,  63 

Will  power,  development  of  in 
child,  236 

in  repression  of  sex  in- 
stinct, 213 

Woman’s  desire  for  sex  rela- 
tions, 221 

Work  in  sexual  neurasthenia,  91 

Worry,  a cause  of  sexual  im- 
potence, 79,  80 


Zoosperms,  36 


SEXUAL  PROBLEMS 
OF  TODAY 

By  WILLIAM  J.  ROBINSON,  M.D. 

Dr.  Robinson’s  work  deals  with  many  phases  of 
the  sex  question,  both  in  their  individual  and  social  as- 
pects. In  this  book  the  scientific  knowledge  of  a 
physician,  eminent  as  a specialist  in  everything  per- 
taining to  the  physiological  and  medical  side  of  these 
topics,  is  combined  with  the  Vigorous  social  views 
of  a thinker  who  has  radical  ideas  and  is  not  afraid 
to  give  them  outspoken  expression. 

A few  of  the  subjects  which  the  author  discusses 
in  trenchant  fashion  are: 

The  Relations  Between  the  Sexes  and  Man’s  Inhumanity 
to  Woman.  — The  Influence  of  Abstinence  on  Man’s  Sexual 
Health  and  Sexual  Power.  — The  Double  Standard  of  Morality 
and  the  Effect  of  Continence  on  Each  Sex. — The  Limitation  of 
Offspring:  the  Most  Important  Immediate  Step  for  the  Better- 
ment of  the  Human  Race,  from  an  Economic  and  Eugenic 
Standpoint.  — What  To  Do  With  the  Prostitute  and  How  To 
Abolish  Venereal  Disease. — The  Question  of  Abortion  Considered 
In  Its  Ethical  and  Social  Aspects.  — Torturing  the  Wife  When 
the  Husband  Is  At  Fault.  — Influence  of  the  Prostate  on  Man’s 
Mental  Condition. — The  Most  Efficient  Venereal  Prophylactics, 
etc.  etc. 

“SEXUAL  PROBLEMS  OF  TO-DAY”  will  give 
most  of  its  readers  information  they  never  possessed 
before  and  ideas  they  never  had  before  — or  if  they 
had,  never  heard  them  publicly  expressed  before. 

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SEX  MORALITY 


PAST,  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE 


Will  monogamy  or  variety  prevail 
in  the  future  ? 

Is  continence  injurious  ? 

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justifiable  ? 

Should  there  be  one  moral  stand- 
ard for  men  and  women  ? 

Will  our  present  moral  code  persist? 

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by  original  and  unbiased  thinkers  as  well  as  by 
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BIRTH  CONTROL 

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BY 

WILLIAM  J.  ROBINSON,  M.D. 

With  an  Introduction  by 

A.  JACOBI,  M.D.,  LL.D. 

2x-President  of  The  American  Medical  Association 


All  the  arguments  for  and  against  the  voluntary 
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one  book  of  250  pages. 

The  Limitation  of  Offspring  is  now  the  burning 
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that  people  be  permitted  to  obtain  the  knowledge  how  to 
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Never-Told  Tales 

GRAPHIC  STORIES  OF  THE  DISASTROUS 
RESULTS  OF  SEXUAL  IGNORANCE 

By 

WILLIAM  J.  ROBINSON,  M.D. 

Editor  of  the  American  Journal  of  Urology  and  of  The  Critic  and  Guide 


Every  doctor,  every  young  man  and  woman,  every  newly-married 
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A PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON 

THE  CAUSES,  SYMPTOMS  AND 

TREATMENT  OF 
SEXUAL  IMPOTENCE 

And  Other  Sexual  Disorders  in  Men  and  Women 

BY 

WILLIAM  J.  ROBINSON,  M.D. 

Chief  of  the  Department  of  Genito-Urinary  Diseases  and  Dermatology, 
Bronx  Hospital  and  Dispensary;  Editor  The  American  Journal 
of  Urology,  Venereal  and  Sexual  Diseases;  Editor  and 
Founder  of  The  Critic  and  Guide;  Author  of  Sexual 
Problems  of  Today;  Never  Told  Tales; 

Practical  Eugenics,  etc. 


BRIEF  SYNOPSIS  OF  CONTENTS. 

Part  I — Masturbation.  Its  Prevalence,  Causes,  Varieties,  Symptoms, 
Results,  Prophylaxis  and  Treatment.  Coitus  Interruptus  and  its 
Effects. 

Part  II — Varieties,  Causes  and  Treatment  of  Pollutions,  Spermator- 
rhea, Prostatorrhea  and  Urethrorrhea. 

Part  III — Sexual  Impotence  in  the  Male.  Every  phase  of  its  widely 
varying  causes  and  treatment,  with  illuminating  case  reports. 

Part  IV — Sexual  Neurasthenia.  Causes,  Treatment,  case  reports, 
and  its  relation  to  Impotence. 

Part  V — Sterility,  Male  and  Female.  Its  Causes  and  Treatment. 

Part  VI — Sexual  Disorders  in  Woman,  Including  Frigidity,  Vaginis- 
mus, Adherent  Clitoris,  and  Injuries  to  the  Female  in  Coitus. 

Part  VII — Priapism.  Etiology,  Case  Reports  and  Treatment. 

Part  VIII— Miscellaneous  Topics.  Including;  Is  Masturbation  a 
Vice? — Two  Kinds  of  Premature  Ejaculation. — The  Frequency  of 
Coitus. — “Useless”  Sexual  Excitement. — The  Relation  Between  Mental 
and  Sexual  Activity. — Big  Families  and  Sexual  Vigor. — Sexual  Per- 
versions. 

Part  IX — Prescriptions  and  Minor  Points. 


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THE  DISORDERS  OF  THE 
SEXUAL  SYSTEM 


“He  who  throws  light  on  the  dark  and  intricate 
problems  of  sex,  helping  to  unravel  the  mysteries  of 
and  to  cure  the  complex  sexual  disorders,  does  indeed 
a signal  service  to  humanity.” 

We  believe  that  in  bringing  out  our  latest  work, 
Sexual  Impotence  and  Other  Sexual  Disorders  in 
Men  and  Women,  we  have  given  the  profession  one 
of  the  most  useful,  one  of  the  most  valuable  books  that 
have  ever  been  published.  A gratifyingly  large  num- 
ber of  physicians  have  told  us  that  the  book  not  only 
helped  them  to  treat  successfully  sexual  weakness  and 
other  disorders  in  their  patients  or  in  themselves,  but 
that  it  opened  their  eyes  to  the  significance  of  many 
things  which  they  did  not  understand  before. 

Those  who  have  read  the  book  know  its  value  and 
importance ; those  who  have  not  may  be  interested  to 
read  what  the  medical  journals  have  to  say  about  it. 
Here  are  a few  extracts: 

No  American  authority  has  given  more  serious  thought 
to  the  subject  of  sexual  diseases  than  the  author  of  this 
volume;  he  has  given  to  us  in  it  the  best  that  in  him  lies, 
No  physician  who  has  had  to  combat  this  distressing  condi- 
tion, and  those  conditions  dependent  upon  it,  has  any  doubt 
of  its  serious  importance.  And  we  all  recognize  the  weak- 
ness of  the  literature  on  the  subject.  Dr.  Robinson  takes 


SEXUAL  IMPOTENCE 


a sensible  view  of  things  which  have  not  been  sensibly  con- 
sidered; nowhere  has  he  shown  this  to  better  advantage 
than  in  this  volume  on  a difficult  subject. 

— Medical  Fortnightly. 

Dr.  Robinson  discusses  the  numerous  phases  of  this  sub- 
ject, in  both  sexes,  clearly  and  in  detail.  He  tells  no  lies 
to  conform  to  moral,  social  and  religious  ideals,  and  con- 
sequently those  who  differ  with  him  in  beliefs  or  in  pre- 
tensions may  censure  him  as  immoral.  In  some  of  these 
points  there  is  opportunity  for  difference  of  opinion,  but 
on  the  whole  we  think  that  Dr.  Robinson  has  expressed 
what  the  majority  of  physicians  believe,  tho  not  necessarily 
the  opinion  most  frequently  published.  Pretty  nearly 
every  conceivable  sexual  abnormality,  physical  or  psychic 
is  at  least  alluded  to.  If  we  were  to  select  any  one  feature 
of  this  work  for  special  mention,  it  would  be  the  uniform 
common  sense  of  the  author. — Buffalo  Medical  Journal. 

This  book  is  not  by  any  means  a rehash  of  some  other 
book  or  a resume  of  several.  This  treatise  is  interesting 
and  valuable,  and  the  author  is  absolutely  honest  and  fear- 
less in  his  opinions.  A unique  and  helpful  feature  is  the 
case  reports  which  illustrate  every  phase  of  sexual  dis- 
order.— Indianapolis  Medical  Journal. 

Dr.  Robinson  deals  with  the  subject  in  a dignified,  scien- 
tific way,  that  will  be  helpful  to  the  physician  who  has 
judgment  enough  to  realize  that  he  is  as  responsible  for 
functions  around  which  a modem,  sham,  conventional 
modesty  has  thrown  a hiatus  of  folly  as  he  is  for  the  ap- 
petite, eliminative  powers  or  nutritive  functions  of  the  same 
persons.  And  the  science  of  eugenics  can  never  be  worthy 
of  medical  consideration  until  the  people  are  taught  that 
it  is  as  much  the  duty  and  Dusiness  of  physicians  to  in- 
quire about  the  sexual  habits  of  patients  as  of  their  habits 
of  eating  and  drinking.  This  book  will  do  much  good,  and 
that  good  will  be  as  extensive  as  its  reading. 

— Texas  State  Journal  of  Medicine. 


At  last  we  have  a clear,  plain,  concise  book  on  the  treat- 
ment of  Gonorrhea  and  its  various  complications,  written 
expressly  for  the  general  practitioner. 

No  Physician  who  has  occasion  to  treat  Gonorrhea  can  do  justice  to  his 
Patient  without  a study  oj  this  latest  and  dearest  volume  on  the  subject. 


THE  TREATMENT  OF 

GONORRHEA 

And  Its  Complications  in  Men  and  Women. 
For  the  General  Practitioner. 

By 

WILLIAM  J.  ROBINSON, 

M.D. 

An  idea  of  the  scope  of  this  work  may  be  gained  from  the  Chapter  Headings. 

i.  Extent  and  Seriousness  of  Gonorrhea.  2.  Classification  of  Urethra) 
Inflammations.  3.  Gonorrheal  Urethritis  in  the  Male.  4.  The  Germ  and  the 
Diagnosis  of  Gonorrhea.  5.  Course  and  Symptomatology  of  Acute  Gonorrhea. 
6.  Treatment  of  Acute  Gonorrhea.  7.  Case  Reports.  8.  Common  Bacterial  Ure- 
thritis. 9.  Chancroidal  Urethritis.  10.  Syphilitic  Urethritis.  11.  Chemical 
Urethritis.  12.  Prophylactic  Urethritis.  t3.  Traumatic  Urethritis.  14.  Toxic 
Urethritis.  13.  Urethritis  from  Excess  and  Masturbation.  16.  The  Widely  Vary- 
ing Conditions  Known  as  Chronic  Gonorrhea.  17.  Treatment  of  Chronic  Gonor- 
rhea. 18.  Length  of  Time  Required  to  Cure  Chronic  Gonorrheal  Conditions.  T9. 
Instruments  Used  in  Treatment.  20.  Abortive  Treatment.  21.  Prevention  of 
Gonorrhea.  22.  Minor  Complications  of  Gonorrhea  (Phimosis,  Paraphimosis, 
Balanitis,  Adenitis,  Painful  Erections  and  Chordee,  Retention  of  Urine).  23.  Acute 
Trostatitis.  24.  Chronic  Prostatitis.  25.  Epididymitis.  26.  Seminal  Vesiculitis. 
27.  Gonorrhea  of  the  Rectum.  28.  Gonorrhea  of  the  Mouth.  29.  Stricture. 
30.  Gonorrheal  Rheumatism.  31.  Gonorrhea  vs.  Tobacco,  Alcohol  and  Sexual 
Intercourse.  32.  Gonorrhea  in  Women.  33.  Vulvovaginitis  in  Little  Girls.  34. 
Gonorrheal  Ophthalmia.  35.  Minor  Points.  Part  II. — Materia  Medica  of  Gonor- 
rheal and  Non-Gonorrheal  Urethritis  and  Their  Complications.  36.  Silver  Salts 
— Inorganic  and  Organic.  37.  Miscellaneous  Antiseptics  and  Astringents.  38. 
Vegetable  Astringents.  39.  Local  Anesthetics.  40.  Anti-Gonorrheal  Remediei 
for  Internal  Use.  41.  Urinary  Antiseptics.  42.  Lubricants.  43.  Formulary. 

315  pages,  cloth,  $2.50  postpaid 
( ...  --  : ADDRESS  . 

CRITIC  AND  GUIDE  CO. 

12  MT.  MORRIS  PARK  W NEW  YORK  CITY 


I consider  myself  extremely  fortunate  in  having  been  instru- 
mental in  making  this  remarkable  book  accessible  to  the  English 
reading  public.  It  is  a great  book  well  worth  a careful  perusal. 

From  Dr.JWilliam  J.  Robinson’s  Introduction. 

The  Sexual  Crisis 

A CRITIQUE  OF  OUR  SEX  LIFE 
A Psychologic  and  Sociologic  Study 

By  GRETE  MEISEL-HESS 

¥ ¥ ¥ 

AUTHORIZED  TRANSLATION  BY  EDEN  AND  CEDAR  PAUL 
EDITED , WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION 

By  WILLIAM  J.  ROBINSON,  M.  D. 


One  of  the  greatest  of  all  books  on  the  sex  question 
that  have  appeared  in  the  Twentieth  Century. 

It  is  a book  that  no  educated  man  or  woman,  lay  or 
professional,  interested  in  sexual  ethics,  in  our  marriage 
system,  in  free  motherhood,  in  trial  marriages,  in  the 
question  of  sexual  abstinence,  etc.,  etc.,  can  afford  to 
leave  unread.  Nobody  who  discusses,  writes  or  lectures 
on  any  phases  of  the  sex  question,  has  a right  to  overlook 
this  remarkable  volume.  Written  with  a wonderfully 
keen  analysis  of  the  conditions  which  are  bringing  about 
a sexual  crisis,  the  book  abounds  in  gems  of  thought  and 
in  pearls  of  style  on  every  page.  It  must  be  read  to  be 

appreciated.  

A Complete  Synopsis  of  Contents  Will  Be  Sent  on  Request 

350  PAGES.  PRICE  $3.00 


THE  CRITIC  AND  GUIDE  CO. 

12  MT,  MORRIS  PARK,  WEST 


NEW  YORK  CITY 


A UNIQUE  JOURNAL 


THE 

CRITIC  AND  GUIDE 

Dr.  Robinson  s Famous  Little  Monthly 


It  is  the  most  original  journal  in  the  country.  It  is  the  only 
one  of  its  kind,  and  is  interesting  from  cover  to  cover.  There  is  no 
routine,  dead  matter  in  it.  It  is  one  of  the  very  few  journals 
that  is  opened  with  anticipation  just  as  soon  as  it  is  received  and 
of  which  every  line  is  read  with  real  interest. 

Not  only  are  the  special  problems  of  the  medical  profession  itself 
dealt  with  in  a vigorous  and  progressive  spirit,  but  the  larger,  social 
aspects  of  medicine  and  physiology  are  discussed  in  a fearless  and 
radical  manner. 

Many  problems  untouched  by  other  publications,  such  as  the  sex 
question  in  all  its  varied  phases,  the  economic  causes  of  disease  and 
other  problems  in  medical  sociology,  are  treated  boldly  and  freely 
from  the  standpoint  of  modem  science.  In  discussing  questions 
which  are  considered  taboo  by  the  hyper-conservative,  the  editor 
says  what  he  wants  to  say  very  plainly  without  regard  for  Mrs. 
Grundy. 

The  Critic  and  Guide  was  a pioneer  in  the  propaganda  for 
birth  control,  venereal  prophylaxis,  sex  education  of  the  young,  and 
free  discussion  of  sexual  problems  in  general.  It  contains  more 
interesting  and  outspoken  matter  on  these  subjects  than  any  other 
journal. 

While  of  great  value  to  the  practitioner  for  therapeutic  sugges- 
tions of  a practical,  up-to-date  and  definite  character,  its  editorials 
and  special  articles  are  what  make  The  Critic  and  Guide  unique 
among  journals,  read  eagerly  alike  by  the  medical  profession  and 
the  intelligent  laity. 


PUBLISHED  MONTHLY 
ONE  DOLLAR  A YEAR 


THE  CRITIC  AND  GUIDE  COMPANY 

12  MT.  MORRIS  PARK  W.  ::  ::  NEW  YORK  CITY 


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DURHAM,  NORTH  CAROLINA 
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